Discissum
by Lady Kathryne
Summary: How far can one woman be pushed to be someone she isn't before she cracks? How can Isabella Marie Swan be two people, each with no knowledge of the other? How long does it take before her world shatters around her? Collaboration piece with KatastrophicKat. Obviously AU and OOC
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer:  
All characters and known situations belong to their respective owners. Everything else came from my own mind- scary place that it is sometimes- and the mind of my twin. In no way shape or form have we made or intended to make a profit from this story…. All rights still belong to Stephanie Myer… though it's a shame she never did anything more with the wolves… ah well.. There's always fan fiction.

Author's Notes:  
Ok so first off, this is a collaboration piece between myself and my amazing twin- KatastrophicKat. She's an amazing writer and calls me on my BS if I mess up majorly in one of my own stories . So far, she's one of the very few people who is unafraid of my 'dark side'.  
P.S.- We're not really twins… just share a love of writing and all things sexy about the wolves of Twilight. We also happen to share the same name on Tricky Raven. You can follow this story there under her name- Kat.

(~ ~ ~ ~ ~)

Discissum- Latin- "Torn in Two"

All her life, Isabella Marie Swan was groomed to be "perfect"- Perfect grades, perfect looks, perfect mannerisms. She wasn't allowed to go outside and play with the other children because that was "improper."

Instead, she spent her days inside reading, studying, or learning a new language or instrument. While she went to school, she never made true friends, as deep down, she knew they only wanted to be friends with her for her standing in society.

She truly wanted a "real life"- She'd heard the phrase once when she snuck downstairs and saw her nanny watching television.

She wanted to go to real school.

She wanted to play outside, roll in the grass, wear blue jeans and t-shirts..

She wanted to be called **BELLA** instead Isabella.

However, Bella knew this was not her fate. The daughter of the Chief of Police, her father, and the mayor of Forks, her mother, she knew that she would never leave the pedestal her parents had exiled her to.

She graduated from her "preparatory school" first in her class, as expected. She was accepted into all the highest ranked colleges with full scholarships and deans practically begging for her to accept early admission, as expected.

Deep inside, she yearned for a life of her own instead of one that her parents made.

She dreamed about another her, another life, a life in which she was just a normal girl who made mistakes, wore her hair in a mess and owned at least two pairs of clothing she had heard were called "sweat pants."

Isabella Swan wanted to break free…

Despite all the Ivey League schools begging for her, she learned her parents had accepted her into Seattle Pacific University (SPU) to keep her closer to home, but still far enough that she had to live off campus housing (Dorms were forbidden as they were Co-Ed, but her parents were paying so she was not allowed to have an opinion).

She used the internet one night to read of her college and found a page called "Wikipedia" that had this to say about SPU:

_ "Seattle Pacific University (SPU) is a Christian university of the liberal arts, sciences and professions, located at 3307 3rd Avenue W. on the north slope of Queen Anne Hill in Seattle, Washington, USA. It was founded in 1891 by the Oregon and Washington Conference of the Free Methodist church as the Seattle Seminary. It became the Seattle Seminary and college in 1913, changed names again to the Seattle Pacific College in 1915, and took its present name in 1977. Seattle Pacific University is a member of the Christian College Consortium."_

Lovely. It got worse as she read about a shooting that had occurred in June of 2014... Had her parents really just picked one at random to keep her both near and far?

It all came to light once she heard that Edward Cullen, son to Doctor and Mrs. Carlisle Cullen and very wealthy and generous patrons, had been accepted to SPU and had accepted per their program that could give him a Masters degree in Education. His parents had decided that since Carlisle was a doctor and Esme was a successful home decorator, sought after by only the highest class people, that Edward would make an excellent professor of English.

Bella thought he would make an excellent professor of **BORING**.

Her parents had declared her major as going towards a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy. It made her want to gag.

But there she was, walking the campus with Edward at her side two years into her degree.

There she was, speaking of **PERHAPS** getting engaged with Edward as she walked across campus towards her classes. (Edward by her side as always, because a contemplated fiancée would do that.)

There she was, cracking apart…

Author's Note:  
SPU is a real college and the courses described are in fact REAL courses offered. All the info provided comes directly from their Wiki page. There really was a shooting there as well.


	2. Chapter 2

Izzy Swan smirked from her seat at a free table in her favorite club. It was a weekend again. The time when she could really let her hair down and be who she wanted to be within the masses of people. She held a bottle of water in her hands as she watched people grinding against each other. She smiled a secret smile when the first of too many men approached her.

"Hey, can I have this dance?" He asked shyly.

She of course turned him down. She always turned them down. She didn't mean to be cruel, he just wasn't her type. She wasn't a tease who took pleasure in seeing their crestfallen faces as they took the rejection and walked away, but she didn't like the oppressive feeling of having guys like him clinging to her while she danced. She loved the freedom to move- to sway and twist and turn in whatever way she wanted with no hindrance from a body behind her.

Her hair was pulled back partially, bangs left to frame her face while her eyes scanned the growing crowd. The typical groups were already forming. The drinkers… the club brawlers… the night prowlers… she rolled her eyes… there were the cougars- tacky women who wanted nothing more than to relive the glory days of their youth. She shook her head and refrained from grimacing. The sorority girls had shown up. Fake blonde hair, too much make up, too little clothing and way too available. They didn't understand the term, 'hard to get'. maybe that was what set her apart from them.

The air grew more tense when the hair on the back of her neck rose minutely. She herself was being watched. She took a sip of her water, her eyes flitting over the crowd to see if she could make contact with her observer. Bingo. She took a breath and let it out slowly. Inside, she was melting. She'd seen him when he first walked in. He was gorgeous. And he was coming her way.

With a flip of her hair, she crossed her leg and turned her body slightly towards him. Her hand rested on her chin, one tip of her perfectly manicured nails between her teeth. For all the world, she had a look that screamed she was bored. It was just the invitation she hoped he would take. She was only mildly disappointed that he was momentarily distracted by another woman crowding his personal space..

"Hey, you wanna dance?" He asked, his voice husky, his body completely relaxed as he eyed her up and down.

She smirked. "Why not?"

His hand was held out to her to guide her along after him. She smirked and took it, following him to a dimly lit corner that wasn't quite so crowded. He eyed her up and down before stepping closer to her. He could see the look of want in her eyes. He could tell she wasn't looking for him, but opportunity had knocked and he'd taken it. It must have impressed her a little bit, or else she would have turned him down as well.

"So what are you doing in a place like this, dressed like that?" He asked her just loud enough to be heard over the music.

Izzy arched an eyebrow and put a small amount of space between them. "I'm having fun." She answered him simply.

He smirked and tried to pull her closer to his body. His hands were entirely too eager to feel her body and she couldn't help the small frown that marred her lips. He didn't seem to notice her growing agitation though, and favored trying to look down the top of her shirt instead of watching her face. Their dance was cut short by a bar fight breaking out. Izzy took that moment of distraction to slip away. She shook her head and repressed a shudder. Men. They were only good for certain things, she mused with some amusement.

Another bottle of water was in her hands and her bottom was perched on the edge of her seat at an empty table. Her eyes took to scanning the crowds again, wondering if she could find the man she had really wanted to dance with earlier in the night. It didn't take long. He was there, talking to what appeared to be two of his friends.

He was a god among men when the lights passed over him. Dark, dangerous and she wanted it. She wanted him.

(~ ~ ~ ~ ~)

Pounding bass flooded the building, pulsed through the floors and flowed through the crowd while near blinding strobe lights pulsed overhead, dancing over her vision every so often. Her body was alive- living in the heat of the moment- as she writhed and twisted against the stranger behind her. She was free, her mind calm, her body relaxed and losing the built up tenseness with every sway and jerk of her hips. Izzy Swan lived for nights like this.

Her partner, a man she'd watched since she had arrived at Lux Lunae only two hours earlier, had parted the crowd around him and commanded their presence at the same time with an efficiency she was almost jealous of. The slight disdain in his eyes as he watched the bottle blonde sorority girls trying to hit on him is what had prompted her to grab his hand and whisk him away to dance behind her. The pouts on their all too heavily painted lips were laughable to her. As if he'd stoop so low as to waste his time on them.

She moved her eyes down her body to watch a pair of tanned hands sliding over her hips as she swayed in time to the beat of the song playing. An equally tanned, nearly completely tattooed arm pulled her backwards, just that much closer to his already domineering person. It was subtle, teasing and almost guiding in its insistence to pull her closer. A look over her shoulder had her gaze locked with the most seductive specimen of man she'd seen so far throughout the night- possibly in all of her short life.

He was tall, nearly 6'5" and dressed in dark wash jeans and a tight- almost a second skin- tee shirt as well as black boots. She couldn't help but turn in his embrace in order to face him so she could trace her way up those arms from the wrists to his shoulders, close to his already throbbing pulse point in his neck.

"You're playing with fire, little girl." His voice was deep and husky and wove through her person nearly as effectively as the music they were still dancing to.

That same voice was molten silk and held a certain dangerous and authoritarian timbre to it. It sent shivers through her body as she listened to him murmuring in her ear.

A smirked danced its way over her ruby painted lips. "Maybe that's what I want to do." She teased.

He pulled her hips flush to his so she could feel the growing need he held to have her under him. "Aren't you afraid to get burned?"

"I'll take my chances. Besides, you only get burned when you let your guard down." She said with a smirk.

His words were choked in the back of his throat when she suddenly dropped low to the floor, the skirt she wore brushing the cold concrete before she slowly rose, her lips brushing over his fabric clad stomach while her hips swayed in time to the music. He repressed a shiver as he watched her dancing for him. She was making a scene, using him for her own personal dance pole, but for right now, he didn't care. She was free and living in the moment right now.

His eyes closed briefly as her hand skimmed up his thighs. When he'd first seen her across the room, he'd pegged her for another rich brat born with a silver spoon in her mouth. After watching her twist and gyrate and occasionally grind on those dancing with her, he admitted he became intrigued. Watching her now, the way she moved, the things she whispered hotly in his ear, he had to smirk.

Her outfit- if you could call it more than a few scraps of clothing- was leaving little to the imagination as she writhed against him, her body giving over to the demands of the bass that moved her. The skirt was a pleated black and purple number, the top she wore was purple and very low cut. Her boots were thigh high, leather, stiletto and at least 6 inches high. He couldn't help the images that flashed through his mind of her moving like this on top of him in nothing at all.

"What's your name?" He asked around the lump of desire forming in his throat.

Izzy smirked. "Are you so eager to learn the name of your newest walking fantasy?" She teased.

He groaned when he felt her tiny hand trail down his chest to the waistband of his jeans. "The same thing might be said for you, little girl, if you keep playing with me like this." He all but purred.

"I'm Izzy." She whispered, her lips brushing over the shell of his ear as her name spilled from her mouth.

He nuzzled into her neck, inhaling the vanilla and strawberry scent mixed with her sweat and the cigarette smoke that wafted through the air. "I'm Paul." He muttered.

Izzy smirked. The cracks in her mind weren't so noticeable right now. And she liked it like that. 


	3. Chapter 3

"I was in the Winter of my life… and the men I met along the road were my only Summer. At night, I fell asleep with visions of myself, dancing and laughing and crying with them." Ride- Lana Del Rey

(~ ~ ~ ~ ~)

Isabella awoke the next morning, Sunday morning, at 6am. With a frown at the clock, she sat up and shook it. She never woke up at 8am on a Sunday. She was allowed to sleep in for awhile on Sundays before getting ready for church.

She turned to shake the sleep out of her brain when she caught the faint scent of smoke.. Where on earth was it coming from? She searched her entire apartment to no avail. She opened the doors and poked her head out her windows and door.. Still nothing..

Until she turned her head again and noticed that the smell was coming FROM HER HAIR!

"UGH!"

She took a whiff again and then held it away from her like a woman holding the tail end of a dead rat. Her mother would be appalled at her hygiene. She then noticed that not only did her hair smell of a smoke-house, but her nails were chipped and grungy. Had they been like that last night? How on EARTH did her hair smell of smoke?

She pushed the thought to the back of her mind as she began to gather clothes in an urgent way to get into the shower. She washed her hair thrice, hoping to certainly remove the smell. She scrubbed her nails with vigor until they shone red with cleanliness. She scrubbed and scrubbed until all her nose could smell was STRAWBERRIES.

She dried and straightened her hair before applying her make up to perfection, just as she was taught. She dressed in her best baby-blue church dress and matching wedges, because heels were for hookers if unmarried. She put on her single strand of pearls, simple stud earrings and a white woven watch-bracelet, because modesty was best for church.

She was putting her items into her clutch designated for church days when there was a knock at her door. She waited the appropriate amount of time before opening her door. Edward was standing on her stoop, dressed cleanly for church. He smiled a crooked smile, ran a hand through his perfect mess of copper hair before offering her his arm.

"Are you ready to go to church, love?"

"Of course, Edward. Let me lock-up."

She turned and locked her door before taking his arm. The chapel wasn't far from Bella's residence so they walked arm in arm at an appropriate pace. They met with their parents on the front lawn and they walked in together.

They sat together as a sort of familial group in the second pew because "the first pew is for sinners waiting to be noticed, trying to hide their dirty deeds." The second pew was the most respectful and appropriate and therefore, that is where they sat. Isabella read the passages that the pastor called out and sang at a perfectly normal volume with the rest of the congregation for each hymn.

Inside, she was screaming.

She wanted to be enjoying a day doing nothing. Her body was aching for something she didn't quite understand and had no business thinking of. She wanted to know why she smelled of smoke and why her mouth had tasted abnormal this morning. Why did she have a slight headache? She pushed these thoughts into the cracks of her mind. They weren't proper.

She often had dreams of going out and being wild. Of dancing inappropriately with men, of riding motorcycles and being held in tattooed arms.. Of smoking cigarettes and dodging those who would try to plaster her face on newspapers and reputation.. Who would out her to her parents. She had dreams of being Izzy.. But that's all they were.. Dreams to be pushed in her cracks..

(~ ~ ~ ~ ~)

At the end of church, they walked to the diner across the way as usual. Bella sat in the chair closest to the window and across from her mother, as usual. She ordered the same lunch she always did- A turkey club sandwich without bacon, low-carb mayo and extra tomatoes. She had a side salad with dressing and croutons in a separate cup and a sweet tea. She replied when spoken to, but otherwise maintained a polite and defined silence.

She was perfect..

For a while, she thought she was being stared at. She spared a glance out the window and saw a rather handsome and tan man walking away shaking his head. Perhaps in another life, she would have been with that man.. But she was Isabella Marie Swan and no amount of wishing would give her the life she wanted to have.. A life she had dreamed of but stuck in the cracks of her mind.

She never had fear that one days those cracks would simply shatter.

After lunch, she bid goodbye to her parents and Edward's. He dutifully walked her home and left her at her door with a kiss on the forehead. She went inside to study for her Latin final.

She went to bed promptly at 8:30pm and set her alarm for 6:30am. Her modest attire for the next day was laid out, jewelry and all. Her homework was complete and filed. Her notes were organized and ready, even with color-coordinated hi-lighted streaks and neat marginal notes..

Isabella was perfect on the outside. But she had nothing to stop her inside from falling apart.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note:  
The minimum age for bar tending in Washington state is in fact, 21. Age limitations were obviously changed for the story to work. Don't have a hissy fit.

(~ ~ ~ ~ ~)

_ One week._

One full week of dreams- little flashes in her mind of a lonely girl placed too high on her self made pedestal. Her eyes, so much like Izzy's own eyes.. Her temperament, her mannerisms, her clothes, right down to her hair and her **CHOICES.**. There was no way she'd ever want to be that girl. But then.. Why was she dreaming about it, did it mean she was longing for a proverbial ball and chain to be wrapped around her ankle and weigh her down? Did she really want to be attached to a life where decisions weren't her own and her choices were ripped from her?

She snorted at that.

Not a chance.

Izzy may have been a little unsure of certain things she wanted later on the road in her life- children being one of them following closely behind her freedom being taken away.. Having her actions dictated to her hour by hour? It wasn't in the cards for her, and she'd die if it ever came to pass. She needed to be free. She needed to fly.

The rumble of motorcycles on the street- three to be exact- brought her from her thoughts. She added the finishing touches to her makeup- heavy eyeliner and mascara along with bold red lip stain- and laced her boots. She smirked and gave herself a wink before walking out the door, pausing long enough to lock it behind her.

She placed the key around a chain on her neck.. She never carried a purse, there was no need. Her black jeans laced completely up the sides, stopping at her upper thigh- leaving the mind free to imagine if she wore anything underneath. The corset top she wore was solid black with dark red ribbon stitching detail on the sides and a zipper that was left slightly unzipped to show off just a hint on her cleavage.

She turned and leaned against her now locked door, a sassy smirk playing over her lips.. She took in the man waiting for her. His long legs were clad in black denim jeans, his feet covered in black leather road boots. His hoodie was black as well with skulls adorning the sleeves. He was sin reincarnated.

His friends were dressed similarly. They all waited for her to saunter down to them before the one on the left- Jared she remembered his name to be- frowned and looked away. She arched an eyebrow before Paul wrapped her in his jacket he had pulled from one of his saddle bags.

"What's up with him?"

"Don't worry about it. We had words earlier. He's still upset about it."

Izzy smiled. It was almost too perfect..

Jared scowled and gripped his handlebars tight. He could have SWORN it was her he saw last Sunday sitting prim and proper with the other Stepford wives in the diner. Paul was hellbent on having Izzy as his own, but he needed to know for sure just what he was getting himself into.. They had come to blows- something that had their friends shocked.

Paul refused to believe that the woman that was now climbing onto his bike and snaking her arms around his waist was anything other than the hellcat she appeared to be. With a shake of his head, he pulled out onto the road, dutifully following his best friend. He'd keep an eye on her. He'd find out just why Izzy and the girl from the diner looked so similar. And then he'd tell Paul. Until then, he'd stay quiet.

He watched her when they stopped at a red light.. She leaned forward and nipped at the exposed skin of Paul's neck causing him to shudder. She was a vixen.. And she was playing with fire. Paul was the best rider he knew, but even he had his limits.. Izzy was pushing them now by teasing him like that.

"Where are we going?" She asked him.

Paul smirked. "Enjoy the ride little girl. We're going out to a party at my friend's house.

He moved his free hand over hers and put it back onto his side. He couldn't afford to crash before they even got to the house. He wanted to show her off tonight. She seemed to thrive on the nightlife.. She was perfect for his world.. Sex, drinking and partying all night long.

Izzy took the hint, smirked and remained lax for the rest of the ride.. It was a short one. Another twenty minutes or so and they were pulling into a residential area. Ten minutes after that, the bikes were parked in a semi secluded driveway at the end of a cul-de-sac. Two minutes after that and they were greeted by the pounding bass that Izzy loved.

"Come on. Everyone is back here."

Hello's were said and Izzy fell into place by Paul's side shooting a game of pool against his friend, Sam.. She won him twenty bucks- easy money- and smirked when Sam shook his head and called her a hellcat.

Izzy arched an eyebrow when next she turned around. Apparently the house party had drawn the hookers and whores out.. The girls were all friends of people attending, but it didn't stop them from clinging to all the available single men in the room. Paul wasn't hers by any means.. But she could see that he needed to be rescued. The bottle blonde clinging to his neck while he sat at the makeshift bar needed to be taught what personal space was..

Izzy sauntered over to them, her eyes twinkling with mischief. Paul obviously knew the girl.. He called her Lauren. Just how he knew her, Izzy didn't care. She smirked when he locked his gaze with hers, his curiosity peaked at her intentions.

"Pauly… I'm right here. And don't smoke near me… it's nasty!"

Paul frowned.. He hated being told he couldn't smoke. His eyes remained locked with Izzy's causing Lauren to huff.

Izzy reached her hand out and took Paul's hand in her own. "Dance with me."

Paul smirked around the cigarette in between his lips. "Of course."

Lauren glared and slapped their hands apart causing Izzy to turn and look at her with an almost bored expression as she took her in. "Who the hell are you?"

"What's it to you?"

"You're messing with **MY** man! Go get your own!"

Paul nearly choked on the smoke he had just inhaled.. Since WHEN was he hers?

Izzy nodded her head and turned towards Paul. She grabbed the cigarette from his lips, turned back to Lauren and inhaled. She said nothing.. A minute later the smoke was blown intentionally in her face.

"Back off. Paul's not yours. If anything, tonight, he's mine."

Paul shivered.. That he could live with. He pulled her away to the area where couples were writing against one another.

She smirked when Lauren stood there gob smacked. She'd find her wits before the night was out and try something..Probably.. Izzy was almost sure of it. For now though, now Lauren watched and sulked as the man she wanted was held in the arms of another woman.

"So I'm yours for tonight?"

Izzy smirked and moved her body flush to his.. She had initiated the contact and it shocked Paul for a second. If he knew one thing about her from the previous weekend, it was that she didn't like to be touched too much- she had let him touch her, but he was a breed all his own.

"For now." She mused bringing him out of his thoughts. She inhaled deeply from the cigarette before pulling his face down to hers. "Open up."

Paul smirked. The smoke was addictive on its own, but now, with her lips barely touching his as she exhaled into his mouth, it was even more so. He'd never met a girl who was willing to do this.. Most girls were too shy to try it. Yet, here was Izzy...

His eyes closed and he couldn't help the slight moan that escaped his lips. He knew she could feel him- hot, hard and eager for her. He wasn't ashamed of the fact that he wanted her either.

"Fire, little girl."

Izzy smirked. "I can handle it." She said as her hands snuck down the front of his body. "Can you?"

They stayed like that, wrapped in their own bubble. Time passed but they stayed close, sharing an occasional shot gun kiss.. They only broke apart to get something to drink when they were both sweating lightly.

"Bout time you two come over here. We've all got boners watching you two fucking with clothes on." Sam teased.

Paul shrugged. "You'll get over it. What's that?" He asked nodding to the drink in Sam's hand.

".50 Caliber. Want one?"

"You make it?"

"Nah… Embry did." He said nodding his head to his kid brother.

Embry smirked. His drinks were always strong. He was a bartender by profession and had no problems acting as such at his brothers parties. At 18, he was one of the most sought after bartenders in Lux Lunae. Izzy's eyes widened some. That's where she knew him from..

"Here Paul. And for your girl?"

Izzy smirked. "Let me have what he's having. And I'm only his for tonight."

Embry eyed her. "You sure?" It was a loaded question.

She smiled sweetly.. There was that perfect smile again that had Jared frowning.

"Sure. I can handle it." She ignored the other half of that question.

Embry shrugged and within a minute had her drink made and in her hands. He watched in fascination as she downed it in three gulps. He shook his head and sighed.

"She's something else, Paul."

Paul grinned and sidled in behind her. "Any fool could have told him that." He whispered hotly into her ear.

She grinned and tilted her head to the side.. His lips found her neck and smirked when she shuddered.

"No marks.. I'm not private property."

He smirked. "Yet."

"I mean it Paul. No marks."

He conceded and moved his lips from her shoulder up her neck to her jaw. He slid one hand up her stomach to lightly rest against her neck as her head turned towards his. Their lips met in a seductive kiss that almost literally sucked all the air in from around them.. They were lost in a private bubble of slowly growing lust.

"Sam, man… shut it down! Cops are on the way. Heard it on the radio!"

Izzy noticed the time.. 3 am.. Holy hell. She'd been unaware of the time almost since she walked through the door of the house.

The ride home was smooth and they made amazing timing. Jared was the only one of his friends to ride back with him.. He dutifully waited while Paul helped Izzy off the back of his bike and followed her to the door.

Before he left, he wrapped his large hands around her waist and pinned her lightly against the door. Their lips met in a hard kiss that left her breathless when he pulled away.

"What was that?" She wondered.

Another kiss was placed to her lips, equally hard.. "Something to remember me by." He muttered walking back down the steps.

"Paul!"

He turned to her. "Yeah?"

"Your jacket."

"Save it for me."

Izzy sighed and leaned against the door, watching him drive off, her hands in the pockets. Her brow furrowed when she felt something in the left one. Pulling it out, she grinned.

_ Call me when you want your next ride- Paul._

She locked the door behind her and made her way to the bedroom. She had just enough energy to change into her sleep clothes and lay the jacket across the end of the bed before sleep took her. Her dreams were filled with images of Paul's face above her. It was safe to say he was worming his way under her skin. For a little while, she could stop herself from feeling like she was falling apart.

She couldn't wait to see what happened next. 


	5. Chapter 5

"I'm crying out. I'm breaking down. I am fearing it all, stuck inside these walls. Is there any hope for me? Is anyone out there listening? Can't you hear my call? I'm in here.- Sia

( ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ )

Isabella shot up in bed, heart pounding. She'd had the strangest dream! She groaned as she looked at her screaming alarm clock and delicately shut it off. She felt like she'd had no sleep at all. Perhaps she was coming down with something? Her mouth tasted horrid again.

She gathered her clothes for the day and made her way to her bathroom for her morning ablutions. As a habit, she avoided looking at herself in the mirror until after she was presentable. She didn't need to know how horrible she looked after waking up. Her vanilla life and fashion were bad enough without seeing bed head and eye crusties..

Shower with strawberry scented items, check. Fix hair in a neat French twist to go with her sensible outfit, check. Apply a light layer of makeup suitable for a young woman of her class and station, check. Apply even more makeup to cover the bags under her eyes signifying lack of sleep and loss of decorum and poise, check and CHECK.

She dressed in a simple pencil skirt and collared button up with a light vest covering it. She wore a pair of ballet flats with it and began her routine of tidying up and re-checking everything before Edward arrived to collect her. When she was making her bed, she noticed a frump of black on the floor. She picked it up and frowned at the jacket, obviously male. It didn't belong to her, nor Edward (not that he had EVER been in HER bedroom). So where had it come from?

She prepared their usual morning drinks, a straight- black coffee for him and a lovely morning breakfast tea for her. Ladies her age were still much to young for coffee and she'd never even had a taste of the stuff.

She often wondered what coffee would be like. She had dreams of frequenting a dank coffee house, perhaps one that her mother said "hippies" and "ruffians" frequented.. With a poetry night and unknown musicians.. She would sip delicately dressed like a trendy beat-nik.. Perhaps with a beret perched on her head? A man, simply a dark shadow with no detail, would come up behind her and whisper in her ear. She would laugh and eye him through smoky make up. He would reach up and unleash her dark mass of curls, tangling them in his fingers before jerking her head back and slowly bringing his lips to hers.. Her hands would reach up, running over his chest before-

Her thoughts were interrupted by Edward's knock. With a sigh, she once again waited the correct amount of time before opening the door, greeting him and locking up.

( ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ )

He left her at the door of her first class, Theoretical Foundations- Family Theory. She would then venture to Assessment of Treatment- Couples Theory before moving on to Family Life Cycle and then Advanced Psychopathology. Before Family Life Cycle, Edward would collect her and they would walk together to the commissary for lunch before he walked her to her next class. He would meet her at the end of Psychopathology and walk her home, depositing her at her door with a kiss to her forehead before departing..

Same song and dance each day, different classes. She yearned to break free!

For once, her day was different. Edward was unable to meet her for lunch, as he had research for a paper due and would be working over at the library. She began to walk across campus alone for the first time. Her mind began to wander. She wished whole- heartedly to be the woman in her mind. Were she Izzy, she would be wearing eye-catching clothing. She'd have her smoky make- up and heels.. And she would catch the eye of her mystery man from her dreams!

She heard her name being yelled and turned to see Alice Cullen, Edward's younger sister. The small, almost pixie-like female was walking quickly towards her. Her upbringing dictated that remain where she was and allow the female to catch up. It was rude to not wait and to expect Alice to run was laughable- ladies didn't run unless they were being chased by a rapist.

"Isabella!" Alice cooed, giving her a European style double- cheek kiss.

She smiled politely. "Hello, Alice. How are you today?"

Alice began to chatter on about mindless things- clothes, her fiancee Jasper, classes. They went through the line for food, each grabbing only a salad (though Bella longed for a burger or some pizza. What did pizza even taste like?) When they sat down, Alice gasped. "I forgot to tell you! I saw you last night!"

Bella frowned, confusion quite evident on her face. "I beg your pardon, Alice? I was in bed by 8:30 last night. How did you see me?"

Alice made a very un-lady like sound and then excused herself before continuing. "Jasper and I were returning from having dinner with his parents and when we were at a stop-light, there you were. Well, not you, obviously. It couldn't have been. This woman, who looked so uncannily like you, had her arms wrapped around a guy on a MOTORCYCLE and she was dressed like a common harlot! Her face was painted and everything! To make it even more scandalous, she BIT HIM on the neck- He seemed to like it."

Bella frowned. That had been quite similar to her dream. They'd been few and far between lately, but last night was something else.

She shook her head, "Of course it wasn't me, Alice. You know I wouldn't do anything like that. My mother raised me better than that."

Alice smiled. "I thought so. I know you, Isabella. You're above such boorish actions."

Inside, Bella wished that really had been her. What would it have been like to go where they were going? To press herself against the hard, hot body of a dangerous bad boy who owned a motorcycle…

She had a vague memory pop into her head. She had been maybe three, before her father became Chief of Police and her mother the mayor. A time when she had been almost normal, but not quite. Her father was in his study drinking a BEER of all things and listening to classic rock music. She remembered the song saying something about a heat of the moment. Would Bella ever get her 'heat of the moment'? she missed having her father be so carefree, but she understood. No one would respect him if he drank beer, listened to such outlandish music and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt anymore. Her father had worked hard. All she wanted was to make him proud.. She had no such memories of her mother.

She excused Alice for checking out mentally, and they parted ways for their next class.

Upon arriving at her classroom, she was a missive on the door stating her teacher was sick and class was canceled for the day. She supposed she could walk home by herself. She was a big girl, after all. It wasn't a social impropriety..

She sent Edward a quick message and began her short walk back to her residence. She vaguely heard for a short while, a male voice screaming "Izzy" but she dismissed it. Isabella was a common name.. and women with less social restrictions than her probably would shorten it to Izzy. Isn't that who she wanted to be inside? She already called heself Bella in her mind.. She dismissed the calling and continued walking, a thrill going through her chest at the sound of a motorcycle driving by.

It was Friday, which mean no more classes. She sent Edward another message saying she was going to have a lie down and she would call him later..

She wondered if later would even come or if she would be trapped in another strange dream, but stuffed that also into the now spider webbing cracks in her mind.

Oh how she wished she could break free and be the Izzy she knew she could be..

( ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ )

Author's Note:  
Can you tell us apart yet ;) We would love to hear back from you guys. Tell us what you think, how much you love it, like it or even if you hate it- though I can almost guarantee you a nasty review would only be laughed at and possibly deleted for its idiocy.. Maybe that's just me though..

Read and review ;)


	6. Chapter 6

Izzy groaned and sat up rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Brown orbs searched out the numbers on her alarm clock and she scowled in annoyance. Nearly 9pm on a Friday night and she was holed up in her apartment. She rolled her eyes and climbed out of bed. Why was she asleep in the first place?

She didn't want to be stuck inside all night. It was ladies night at Lux Lunae. She'd head there for a couple hours. At least until the idiots started to pour out of the woodwork. Maybe she'd invite a certain walking god.. She inhaled and then released her breath slowly as her eyes closed in memory of his lips against hers.. The kiss had been perfect.. Hot, sexy, domineering, all the things that had her wanting more from him.

Her shower was quickly set to the right temperature and she sighed when she climbed in under the pounding waterfall of relaxing heat. It took her next to no time at all to shower and shave before she was out with a towel in her hair to soak up the extra water. Her body was dried and she donned a robe before moving out of her bathroom to stand in front of her closet..

She needed something bold tonight.

Ugh… her clothes… what. the. Hell?

It looked like she was staring into her grandmother's closet. Oh, wait… there they were. She smirked when she found clothes much more suited to HER style. Low rise denim blue jeans, those would look amazing paired with her black halter top with the deep v in it. If she moved just right it showed off little glimpses of skin that had men retreating into fantasies.

She only wanted on man's attention right now.. She'd not known him that long, only a couple weeks or so now.. But she knew he was someone she could picture herself with in the long run.. He challenged her, kept her on her toes.. And what's more, he protected her from the insanity of her own mind.

It took her mere moments to find the discarded jacket and then seconds to retrieve the number from inside the front pocket. With a deep breath and a once over in her mirror, she dialed the number provided for her.

A hesitant voice answered the phone. She could hear angry shouting in the background and wondered if it was a good time to talk now.

"Paul?"

"Um… no, sorry, Paul is a little…" She could just imagine the wince on the man's face when she heard something crash in the background.

"Paul's a little preoccupied right now. Can I take a message for him?"

"It's Izzy. Can you tell him I called?"

"Will do. I'll have him call you back soon."

There was no polite goodbye..

A loud click on the other end told her that whoever she had been talking to had hung up in a hurry. She wondered what was going on, but then reasoned that they were men. She didn't want to know what went on with them sometimes.. She had enough issues in her own mind- her dreams of the woman Bella were becoming more and more frequent and it was beginning to annoy her.

Izzy was NOT a Stepford wife nor did she wish to be.. Creepy, plastic smiles and fake personalities. No thank you. Not it.. Not for her.. NOT the life she wanted to have.

A shiver ripped it's way down her spine before she could quell it. She shook her head to clear the thoughts and made her way to the kitchen. Now that she had a little bit of time (the club didn't even open until 10 and it was only just 9:30) she decided on a light snack to hold her over.

She was sure she'd see Paul at some point. If he wasn't at the club, he was at Downtown Underhill- a coffee house owned by Jared's mother. If he wasn't there.. He was either in his garage with his head buried under the hood of a car getting greased up, or he was at a house party enjoying the night life. He'd told her all of this one of the last times they were together.. She still wasn't sure if it was in an effort to impress her or not- not to say she wasn't.

Her phone buzzing on the kitchen counter drew her from her musings. She arched an eyebrow at the unknown caller before shrugging.

"Hello?"

"Izzy?"

"Hi Paul." She smiled.

"I wasn't sure you were going to call or not." He teased lightly.

"How about I make it up to you?"

"How are you going to do that?" She could just picture his arched eyebrow and amused eyes.

"I'm going out tonight. It's ladies night at Lux Lunae…I'm tired of staying in the house-"

"I'll be there." He said cutting her off.

"It's 9:45 now. I can catch a cab and be there by 10, just in time to get in when the doors open." She told him.

"How about I come get you? It'll save some of your money. And I'll get to have your riding on my bike."

"Is that all you want me to ride?" She purred.

A groan was what she got in reply. "Fire, Izzy. Fire."

"You like it."

"I'll be there in ten." He promised before hanging up.

It gave her just enough time to find her shoes- peep toe, 4 inch, stiletto pumps- stick her money into her back pocket along with her I.D. and attach her apartment key to the chain around her neck. She grabbed his jacket when she heard the distinct rumble of a bike in front of her stoop. Making her way down to him after locking her door, she couldn't help but take him in.

Black boots, long legs clad in low rise jeans with a small hole on one of the knees, a skin tight black muscle shirt and a black leather jacket and riding glasses completed his outfit. He smirked as he openly allowed his eyes to rake over her form. As soon as she was in reach, he grabbed her to him in order to place a kiss to her lips.. Sure he was taking advantage of the situation and invading her personal space.. She'd either kiss him again or slap him- he prayed it was the first of the two options.

Izzy grinned and kissed his lips gently when they broke apart from their heated kiss. "Hi."

"Hi."

"You're all alone.." She observed.

Paul shrugged. "Jared rode with Embry and Sam to the club. They'll be there though when we get there."

Izzy hummed in reply.

"You ready?"

She quickly braided her hair before securing it with a hair tie. Her hand was on his shoulder as he stood to keep the bike steady while she climbed on behind him. Her arms snaked around his waist when she was ready and then they were off.

( ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ )

Sam shook his head at Jared as he absentmindedly rubbed his sore jaw. He'd gotten in some good punches to Paul's ribs before Paul had made a connection to his jaw with a solid right hook. It was a wonder to Sam and Embry that they two didn't kill each other.. All the fighting.. Over a chick.. Sam shook his head again.

"You still sore about it?"

"I wouldn't be if he would just LISTEN! That girl is bad news! I know what I saw."

"Are you sure it couldn't have been someone who just LOOKED like her? I mean, Isabella isn't THAT uncommon of a name. And, for Christ's sakes, you were saw the girl on a CHRISTIAN college campus…. If THAT doesn't give you pause to think… well… I don't know what else to tell you."

Jared rolled his eye. "Sam… haven't you ever heard the saying, 'it's always the quiet ones who are the most prone to mischief' or some shit like that?"

"So you don't want him to be happy?"

Jared leveled his friend with a cold stare.. That was a low blow if ever he'd heard one. Paul was his brother.. Had been since they were infants almost.. Which is why he was pissed that they were fighting over a chick.

"You know damn well that's all I want for him. He's my brother in every way that counts. But I don't want to see him USED. And if I find out that's what this chick is doing as some sort of…release from an oppressive high society life… well.. She'll hate me in the long run."

Sam shook his head. "There they are." He said after a few minutes.  
"She sure as hell doesn't look like a damn Christian college student."

Jared watched Izzy grinding against Paul, her back to his chest. He couldn't help but picturing her as a prim and proper lady complete with a pencil skirt and blouse that was completely buttoned up with low heeled pumps on her feet.

He shuddered.. He didn't want to think he was right. But he had called her name a good seven times just that morning.. She kept walking.. Didn't even turn around to acknowledge him.

…maybe it hadn't been her…

Sam grinned when Paul and Izzy walked over to them. "Having fun?"

"We were until Lauren found us." Paul whined. He sat down and tried to subtly readjust himself.

Izzy saw it and smirked. She perched herself in his lap, shifting to get comfortable- so she said. Her eyes closed when she felt him.. He. Was. Huge! She shivered when his hands splayed over her hips to pull her body back flush to his chest. His lips found a tender spot on her neck and attacked it with vigor causing her to moan.

"I told you. Fire, little girl. Still think you can handle it?"

Paul smirked when a feint dark bruise started to form on her neck. He just hoped it'd be gone by morning. Izzy apparently had a thing against marks on her body where others could see them.

Izzy turned to him after a few minutes. "You ready to dance again?"

"Lead the way."

She lead them to a darkened corner just in time for a remix of one of her favorite songs to come on. Paul was in heaven as her body began to move against his. He peered over her shoulder and smirked when he got an almost crystal clear view of her mostly covered cleavage. His hands moved to her waist, his fingers dipping just below the band at the front of her jeans.

Izzy shivered. She looked over her shoulder at him and smirked. "Now who's playing with fire."

One of his arms ran across the front of her body to cage her to him. His lips moved to her ear. "I can handle it." He promised.

By the time 2am rolled around, Izzy had wormed her way that much more into Paul's mind. He wanted to know her.. He wanted to be with her.. He'd wait for two more weeks he mused. After that it'd be a month that they'd known each other- granted nothing happened to push them away from each other. Izzy was a different breed. Underneath it all.. He could see that she wanted something more than the parties.. But nothing as dramatic as marriage and a house full of kids.

She needed her freedom, but she wanted someone to share it with- just like him.

They nearly missed the gasp of surprise from the open window of the car beside them at a red light when Izzy began nipping at Paul's neck. Izzy didn't look to her left, she merely pulled Paul's chin to the side to kiss his lips before the light changed green. She smirked when the car behind them honked once and Paul shifted gears to drive towards her home.

He yet again pinned her to her front door, her body caged in between his arms. He worked one of his thighs between hers and smirked when her breath hitched. He'd have her addicted to him before too long..

Izzy's hands moved to the waistband of his jeans and pulled him that much closer. She shivered when his nose skimmed the line of her jaw to her earlobe, gently drawing in between his teeth to tease her.

"Not fair." She pouted.

"What's wrong, Izzy?" His lips barely brushing against the shell of her ear.

Her eyes locked with his as she leaned her head back against her door. "Kiss me." She whispered.

He smirked. "Gladly."

Their lips crashed together in a flurry of teeth and tongues. They echoed the others groans of passion before Paul ripped his mouth from hers in an effort to breathe. Izzy's left hand moved up his body slowly, her nails dancing over the skin of the back of his neck gently.

"Night." He whispered kissing her again. This one was sweet.. Completely different from the passionate lip lock they had just shared.

"Night."

He made it to the bottom of the steps before turning back to her. "Hey Izzy…"

"yeah?"

"Do something for me?"

She eyed him curiously. "Ok?"

Paul smirked. "Dream about me."

She inhaled sharply, watched him climb back onto his bike and then waved as he drove off.. She'd have no problem fulfilling that request.

She locked the door behind her and stripped her clothes off of her body as she walked through her apartment to the bedroom. She'd clean everything up in the morning. Her last thought before she succumbed to sleep was what it would be like to have Paul in her life on a permanent basis.. As a friend.. As someone to talk to.. Maybe even one day as a lover. Sleep took her in its arms and left her cradled under the covers of her bed with a smile on her lips. 


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note:

We love that everyone is following and or adding this to their favorites. This story is somewhat of a first for myself and my twin (KatastrophicKat) in that, we've never worked together on a story before- only given each other feedback for our own. Seeing as it is a collaboration, we would love to hear from you guys. Tell us what is done well, what you think should happen (it'll honestly be debated between us, I'm sure) and what we can improve upon. It does us no good to hear that a chapter was 'good' (Other than possibly inflate our egos a little bit and make us smile). We'd love to hear just what MADE it good... reviews and feedback are awesome ;)

Now that my rant is over with . Enjoy.

( ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ )

"I'm a fight with myself until I'm bleeding. Just a taste of your skin starts the healing. Anyone from my past, get your ammo. Find my sun in the dark side of my shadow." Not Your Fault- AWOLNATION

( ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ )

Bella woke to pounding on her door. She glanced at the clock and almost eep'd at the time. It was after 4am. Anyone who was pounding on her door was either seriously hurt, or seriously put out. She threw her robe around herself and thought of calling the police. When she had went to bed, she'd not been nude, nor did her bedroom have such a disarray of strange clothing. She opened the door and saw…

"Angela?"

At least she thought it was Angela.

Angela Webber, the daughter of the church's preacher.. Judging from the girl's attire, Angela was doing what she only wished she could do. She'd never seen Angela showing so much skin, let alone wearing makeup in the fashion she was.

"Isabella, don't play dumb with me! I saw you!" She yelled, pushing her way into the apartment.

Bella blinked, genuinely confused at the actions of the one female she had considered a real friend. Angela saw her? Where?

"Angela, what on **EARTH** are you talking about?"

She watched her friend whip around. "I saw you. Your innocent act is NEVER going to fool me again!" A feline-like smile came over her friend. "I saw you on that motorcycle, showing off your body wrapped around that amazing piece of man meat. You're lucky it was me who saw you and not Edward or Alice or- GOD FORBID- your parents…"

"Angela, I don't know what you think you saw, but I've been here sleeping since my classes let out. I feel like I'm coming down with something."

Angela snorted. "Whatever you say, Princess. I saw you. This innocent act you've got going is going to be ripped to shreds. You looked happier than I've ever seen you with that guy. Maybe it's time to cut Eddie loose, eh?"

Bella huffed and opened the door, "Angela, you woke me up and now you're speaking in ways I've never known you to. I had thought you to be a lovely young woman and a great friend to me, but perhaps Edward is right- Yes Edward- and I can trust no one but my family and his…"

She watched Angela slowly walk out, the other female appraising her with a curious eye.

"Just think about it. Either you have a twin, or you're lying. I'll find out which. At least I can admit that I put on a false image for the community and my parents. Why are you hiding?" And she left.

Bella closed the door and began tidying her apartment, AGAIN. She figured the clothes must belong to Edward's cousin, Rosalie. She often used Bella's apartment to change clothes for her dates with Emmett, her secret lover. It wasn't that Rose was ashamed of Emmett, he had actually met her parents and they adored him, she just knew they'd have kittens if she went out wearing what she actually wanted to for a "date" when she was "virgin" and a whole bunch of other things that just were NOT the real Rose…

Her parents would have a coronary if they knew she possessed them, no matter if they were not actually hers.

She put them in the wash for next time and hung the jacket that had been on her bed previously across the chair with care.. A little more care than the thought she would give it.

She tried to muster the urge to go back to bed, but she was wide awake. She sat at her desk to start on her assignments, but all she could think about was dreaming of Izzy. She'd finally learned the name of her mystery dream man.. His name was Paul. She couldn't remember many distinguishing features now, but she knew his name was Paul. She wondered where her subconscious had pulled that from…

One of her assignments was to write about ways to early-diagnose someone with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) or Multiple- Personality Disorder. As she read through the passages and started hi-lighting things for her paper, she started thinking about Angela's visit as well. Could Angela perhaps have DID? No, because she even acknowledged her duality…

She had finished all her work by 9:30am and gathered her required items to take a shower and "start" her day. She had stayed only in the robe, loving the wicked feeling of being nude. Her mother would have had kittens!

While styling her hair, she thought she saw a strange shadow on the back area of her neck/shoulder.. She couldn't tell if it was a shadow or actually part of her skin, but she brushed it off. Edward called and asked if she would like to go to breakfast with him before heading to her parents and she readily agreed. Alice would be their chaperone, of course. She dressed in her usual fashion and twisted her hair up into a fancy style on top of her head, hoping Alice would be pleased. That small woman was obsessed with clothing and fashion!

She walked to the diner and smiled as Alice waved her over. She sat dutifully and respectfully beside Edward, greeting them both. She turned to place her small purse on the back of the chair to hang when she heard Alice gasp loudly. She turned quickly. The small female had gone pale and her almost-fiancee was turning red.

"What is it!?" Bella cried out, quite alarmed at the behavior of the two normally composed siblings.

"Isabella!" Alice hissed, "Have you been engaging in crude activities?"

Bella was once again highly confused. "Excuse me?"

Edward cleared his throat to try to regain composure, but could not keep the venom from his tone. "Isabella, there is a mark on the juncture between your neck and shoulder. I believe the term for it is a hickie. It is similar to a bruise but is only brought on by lewd activities.. I do not engage in such behavior, nor would I intend to suck on your neck to leave a mark such as that. So how did you get it?"

Bella looked down at her hands and said in a small voice, "I thought it was just a shadow this morning. I have no idea what is going on. First, Angela acts strangely and now there's a mark of unknown origin on my skin... I... I..."

She felt tears welling up in her eyes, "Excuse me but I believe I need to leave."

The siblings made no move to stop her. Once she got home she threw herself into her rarely used car and thought of where to go. Her parents wouldn't be any help, though she could always see the yearning in her father's eyes for a better life for his daughter. Too bad he couldn't get out from underneath his wife's commanding personality... She only knew of one other person...

Two hours later, she was pulling into the driveway of her Grandma Swan's home. Her mother had never approved of Grandma Swan's "free" nature. Grandma Swan liked to garden without gloves, listen to all types of music, bake cookies with REAL sugar, dress in casual fashion no matter where she went- She thought Marie Swan was a no good hippie and a drain on the world since she lived off disability payments and "organic" vegetables...

She threw herself out of the car as soon as she turned it off and started running up the steps of the old house. Her grandma walked out just in time for Bella to throw herself, sobbing, into her old arms.

Marie simply held her grandchild, thinking the pressure her mother had always put on her to be perfect was finally cracking her apart. She listened through Bella's tears as she told her about the strange dreams, Angela and then the mark on her skin.

Marie cooed and cuddled until Bella's tears were almost non existent.. Finally, their eyes met and Bella pleaded..

"Grandma Marie.. **What** is happening?"


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's Note: I can't speak for my co-author, ( I really love saying that since she's been a blessing to work with) but I would love to hear what you guys think of this. If you have any ideas, again, they'll be talked about between the two of us, though I do have to say we're doing pretty ok as far as keeping things from getting rather bland . Love it, hate it... lets us know. Thanks again._

_-Lady Kathryne_

( ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ )

Izzy groaned and awoke with her head throbbing lightly. She didn't even remember falling asleep. She looked at the clock beside the bed.. 5am? No.. it wasn't dark enough for that. 5pm it was then.. She'd been asleep that long? Maybe she was getting sick? She frowned at the thought- she hated being sick.

Her stomach was growling at her and starting to protest not being fed all day long. She brushed off the hunger pains, as well as the headache she knew now was caused by caffeine deprivation and concentrated on figuring out just where she was.

She didn't recognize her surroundings at all.

A soft knock on the door had her eyebrow raised when it opened to reveal a woman she thought she'd never see again before she passed away.

"Grandma Marie?"

The woman smiled. "I brought you something to eat. I've called your mother… she's none too pleased you're here Bella." She gave a small huff before setting a tray laden with cheese cubes, fruits, bread slices and a bowl of what appeared to be homemade chicken noodle soup down on the bedside table.

"… Bella?" Izzy was confused.

Marie arched an eyebrow. "You don't know your name?"

"My name is Izzy…" Was she dreaming? How did her grandmother not know her name?

Marie sat gingerly on the edge of the bed, a tender smile on her lips. She brushed the hair from her granddaughter's face before commanding her gently to start eating. It took no time at all for the smell of the food to convince Izzy she wasn't dreaming. After not eating practically all day long, she was ravenous in her quest to clear the tray of its food contents.

"This is my room…"

Marie smiled. "It was. It still is, yes."

"I remember that rocking chair.. You used to tell me the most amazing stories."

"As I recall, you always liked 'The Nightingale' the most."

Izzy smiled. "It was a good story."

"It couldn't be that your mother didn't like it too much though, could it?"

Izzy shrugged. "How long have I been here?"

Marie smiled. "You came to visit me earlier this morning. But you were tired, so I let you rest."

Izzy smiled. "I'm sorry all I did was sleep."

"Nonsense child. I remember what it was like to be young. Besides, no doubt your nights are filled with plenty of excitement if the mark on your neck is anything to go by… not to mention the young man who has called your phone several times since early this afternoon."

Izzy almost blushed. "I um… yeah…" She didn't know how to answer so she opted for not saying anything.

"Why did you call me Bella?" She asked almost hesitantly.

Marie smiled though it didn't reach her eyes. She was about to answer when Bella's phone rang. "I'll leave you to answer that. We'll talk more later." She said with a smile and a nod before leaving the room.

"Hello?" she should have checked the caller ID first.

"Izzy?"

"Hi Paul."

"Hey, you're awake." His grin was evident in his voice.

"Yeah. I needed some sleep I guess. What's up?" Her own grin was hard to get off of her face.

"Jared's mom is doing this poetry thing in her coffee house tonight around 9 or so. You wanna come with us?"

"I guess… I need to go home and change first."

She noticed that Marie had left with her now empty tray. She'd need to thank her for that.

"Wear something sexy." He teased.

Izzy rolled her eyes. "Don't I always?"

"yeah, but I'm gonna show you off afterwards. We're only staying for an hour or so. Embry and Sam are throwing a party tonight."

She stifled her giggle. "Paul?"

"Hm?"

She grinned even though he couldn't see it. "You're rambling. All you had to do was ask if I want to go to a party afterwards."

"Funny." He huffed. She could hear the smile in his voice though. "So you'll come?"

"Pick me up at 8?"

"That I can do." He agreed.

"Hey, I gotta go. My grandmother needs help with something."

"See you later."

A muffled shout from down the stairs took her attention away from Paul after she had hung up the phone with him. She didn't remember many things about her grandma Marie very clearly, but she did remember the woman to always be kindly and that she rarely yelled.

"- **NOT** my fault. **YOU** wanted Bella to be perfect. Renee, so help me, if that girl loses herself because of **YOUR** actions-"

Izzy made her way down the stairs quietly and watched as her grandmother frowned while she listened to whoever was on the other end of the phone.

"Yes, I understand she's an adult. Do **YOU** understand that she's a human being who doesn't need your controlling nature to make her into a perfect little robot? Bella is her own person- so she needs to be at least."

Izzy frowned. There was the name Bella again. Why in the world would they be talking about some woman from her mind? Unless she talked in her sleep… but that wasn't it at all. She wished she understood what was going on!

"Fine. I'll be in touch. But don't you **DARE** think that just because you have money and you're the mayor that you can brush this under the rug. I've played the game for too long to not know that **EVERYONE** has skeletons in their closet. Some of them have more to lose than others."

Izzy's eyes widened. Her grandmother- sweet and unassuming- had just threatened the mayor.. Oh wow.. She was talking to her mom.. A woman Izzy hadn't spoken to in _MONTHS_! No wonder the woman's feathers were ruffled.

Izzy sighed and shook her head before walking into the room once the phone was hung up. She smiled at the woman she wished she could remember more of. "I'm gonna go…I'm going out with a friend for a little while.." She bit her lip, hoping she hadn't offended her in some way.

Marie smiled. "You'll be back." It was a statement, not a question.

Izzy only nodded. "Of course. Thank you for letting me sleep."

"You're welcome here any time dear girl.. I hope you know that.. Whenever life becomes.. Too much."

Izzy smiled. "Thank you.. I'll have to remember that." She made her way out the front door and barely realized when she was walking through her front door. She had zoned out while driving- something she wasn't entirely happy with herself about.

She made quick work of her shower, taking time only to pin her hair on top of her head, scrub her body and shave her legs. She dried off and was dressed in a pair of dark wash, low rise bell bottom jeans and a cream colored crochet knit halter top. She paired that with a pair of black strappy heels and made sure her ID was in her back pocket and her key around her neck on its chain. In no time at all, Paul was outside and waiting for her.

Seeing him pushed all the worries from her mind. A smile danced across her lips as she greeted him and a sigh escaped her when his own lips danced across her skin. A stray thought hit her before she climbed on the back of his bike. His shoulder was playfully hit as she glared half heartedly at him.

"What was that for?" His confusion was written over his face.

"I said no marks, Paul. My grandmother found one on my neck." She huffed.

Paul's lips twitched. "Oops."

"Come on. I know you're not really sorry." She said with a shake of her head.

"I am. Honest." He told her helping her climb on his bike.

"No…" She nipped his neck. "You're sorry you got caught."

He shrugged and then revved the engine. Jared was waiting for them. While things between he and Paul weren't completely better, they were less tense in the light of a new day- or night as the case was now.

The ride there was filled with Izzy's usual teasing touches each time they were stopped at a light. By the time Paul's engine was cut off, he was sporting an all too noticeable tent in his jeans that even a blind fool would have no problem seeing. Izzy merely smirked.

"Consider it payback." She shrugged.

"We'll see." He grinned and held the door open for her, playfully swatting her bottom as she passed by him.

"Finally. It's about time you two showed up. Hey Izzy." Jared said with a grin when they walked through the doors of Downtown Underhill Coffee House.

Izzy was a little caught off guard that Jared was smiling and talking to her, especially after the way he'd been so standoffish the past few times she'd seen him. If she had to guess, she'd say it was highly likely that it was Jared that Paul was fighting with when she had first called him.

Now she watched as they teased and playfully shoved at one another as though nothing had happened. She had to roll her eyes at that. Men were simple creatures when it came to fights. Women.. Women held grudges- sometimes for years- and it took a lot of cajoling and sweet talking to make things better.

"Paul, I need to go to the bathroom for a minute. I'll be back."

Paul nodded and openly and unashamedly watched her walk towards the restroom. She couldn't help but smirk some and put a little more of a swish into her hips.

Little girl indeed.. They both knew that Izzy was anything but.

She nearly cried out when the door opened suddenly and a body collided with her own.

"Oh! I'm sorry I wasn't- Bella?"

Izzy blinked. "No… I'm sorry. I think you have the wrong girl."

"Come on, don't play Bella! I told you I'd blow your secret! You can drop the whole innocent act- especially dressed like that!"

Izzy shook her head and furrowed her brow in confusion. "Look… obviously you think you know me.. But I really don't know who you are.. And my name's Izzy, not Bella."

"You're really going to pretend you don't know me? We've only been friends for ages now… hello… Angela… preachers daughter… same church… Same SCHOOL… does none of this ring a bell to you?"

Izzy stared at the other woman for a few minutes like she had grown a second head. "I'm sorry. I honestly don't know you. I don't know who you think I am.. But I promise, we've not met before."

Angela tilted her head and regarded her as one would a curious piece of art in a museum. "Forgive me. You really look like a good friend of mine. Are you sure we haven't met?"

"I think I'd remember you." Izzy huffed a little.

A nod of her head was all she got in answer as Angela turned and walked away. Izzy watched her and groaned when she saw the girl sitting beside Embry.. The same table Paul was sitting at with Sam and Jared.. Now she'd have to deal with odd stares. She sighed and made her way into the bathroom. As she was washing her hands, she stared at her face in the mirror.

That had been the second person in the same day to call her Bella.. One had been her own grandmother. Why in the **WORLD** were people suddenly calling her Bella- a woman she had been dreaming of for little over a few weeks?

She sighed and pushed the questions from her mind. She was here to have a good time with friends, and maybe steal a kiss or ten from the amazing Grecian god she came out with. She'd have time to think about the strange things happening in her life when she was safely tucked away in her apartment.

A firm nod, a determined set to her jaw, and she was back in Paul's lap. She never noticed two sets of eyes regarding her ever so curiously. She would have become that much more determined to ignore it if she had. For now, with Paul's arms around her and his lips on her neck, things were a little better.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Notes:

Thank you all so much for the reviews. I appreciate it and I'm sure my twin does too! I personally would like to ask to hear from you all too... what you think might happen, what you liked/ didn't like... the usual. It merely helps me think of things for the next chapter . Thanks again. Enjoy.

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"You can't stop me from falling apart, because my self destruction is all your fault"  
Open Wounds by Skillet

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Time was missing... Bella was freaking out. She could remember going to see Grandma Marie, and she cried so hard she ended up falling asleep against the old woman.

The problem was, she couldn't remember anything after that. And it was Monday morning! She was terribly afraid. She emailed her professors and told them she was taking a personal sick day. The wished her well and sent her homework back, along with reading and notes. Edward had responded that he was quite put out with her and perhaps some time apart would do them well, especially as she had missed church and Sunday lunch with no warning.

She made an emergency appointment to see her mother. She often felt sad at the fact she needed an appointment to see her mother. She often wished she had fond memories of pre-professional Renee like she did with her father. Girls always seem to at least have a basic set of same memories with their mothers- haircuts, makeovers, shopping, making cookies. With her and her mother she had memories of missed birthdays, finding ways to fit into her mother's schedule, etiquette lessons and the like. All her happy times were with Grandma Marie.

Upon arrival at her mother's office, she was greeted by Reginald (Yes, Reginald and no, you could not call him Reggie). He gave her a stern look that silently told her how lucky she was to be getting a same-day appointment. He informed her mother that she'd arrived. She waited for almost 30 minutes; a punishment, she was sure. Reginald finally told her that "The Mayor" would see her now. Not her mother, not Mrs. Swan- The Mayor.

She entered her mother's office and was swiftly barked at to close the door and sit down. She did as she was told and looked at her mother respectfully. Renee Swan.. She sat in her crème-colored leather chair, not a smile on her Botox-given face. Disapproval burned in her eyes hotter than Hell-fire. Not one light brown hair was out of place on Renee's head- dyed light to mask the grays and to make her look more youthful. Her mother didn't even have a stray hair that had shed off naturally on her black jacket, nor black trousers. She could only guess the shirt underneath was black as well. Renee was simply a dark person.

"Isabella. You should be in class. This better be important for you to interrupt my day, ignore your education and shirk your daily responsibilities."

Bella cleared her throat before replying softly, "I'm missing time..."

Renee almost growled, "Edward told me about that whore mark on your neck. It's no wonder you're missing time! How could you do this to me, Isabella?! You were always taught to remain pure and chaste until you married. Now you're causing a scandal!"  
Tears jumped to Bella's eyes but she refused to let them fall.

"I don't mean missing time as in missing my monthly. With all due respect mother, I am still a virgin. I will even go be tested in your presence AGAIN if that is what you wish. I meant missing time as in physical time. I can remember nothing after falling asleep at Grandma Marie's and that was a few days ago. I woke up this morning in my own bed and noticing it was Monday."

Renee stood, slamming both hands down on her desk.

"THAT WOMAN! You were told about visiting that woman. She would let you run free like a bohemian! She was ripping apart your delicacy, turning you disrespectful. How dare you go see her!"

"BUT I NEEDED HER!"

"YOU NEED TO BE COMMITTED!"

Silence hung heavily in the room. Renee cleared her throat and sat down, folding her hands together.

"Perhaps the stress of college is too much for you. Perhaps we should allow you to drop out and focus more on being DUTIFUL and LOYAL to Edward. We could start you on the right track for a charity foundation to take up your time. I made excuses for you at church on Sunday, so it wouldn't be hard to say the stress is too much on your fragile psyche and-"

"I beg your pardon, mother? No. Edward is not even speaking to me any longer. He doesn't believe me though I've never lied to him before. In fact, he wishes for time apart even though I've had no indiscretions."

She fought to maintain her dignity underneath the glower of her mother, "You will do as I say, Isabella. If you do not obey, there will be consequences. You know this. You've always known this. You're acting out and it's all the fault of the horrible crone."

"C-consequences like what?"

She felt so small.

"If you do not obey, if you do not keep yourself in good community standing, I will disown you."

"Father won't let you do that!"

"YOUR FATHER WILL DO AS I SAY!"

Bella let out a shaky breath, fighting against herself to keep from sobbing.

"Mother..."

"This appointment is over. If you do not attend the charity auction with Edward tonight, I will take my actions publicly tomorrow. You are lucky in a sense that you have your scholarship and that your father was soft in buying the residence you have now in cash, placing your name on the deed. You have already received your trust fund from your Grandfather Swan, but there will be nothing from your parents. I will disown you if you do not comply.. As for your missing time, I suggest you find it."

Bella stood, feeling almost sick. She did not say goodbye, she knew when she was dismissed. She went home almost in a daze. She should have known not to come to her mother for help.

She tried to call Edward once she got back home but he summarily dismissed her as well after a few moments on the phone. He denied taking her to the event. He told her that he would inform her mother herself, but she knew it was over. She wondered how Renee would make it public. Would she call a press conference? Announce it in the paper? Renee would surely play the victim.

She went to take a shower, but stared into the mirror beforehand. She almost couldn't bear it.

As her own eyes met her reflected eyes, she could almost feel her mind fracture. It was physically painful. Flashes of her, flashes of Izzy, flashes of memories or dreams or- ANYTHING!

She was drowning.

She didn't know what was real, what was false- She didn't know if she would live or die. She tried to call 911 but her body began to jerk with pain and she fell against the wall. She was yelling something, but she couldn't hear it at all.

Black began to cloud her vision.

This was it. She was crazy and she was dying. She would never understand. She only hoped that the news would hit before Renee made her announcement so that they couldn't say it was suicide.

Before her vision went completely black, she swore she saw Angela.. The normal Angela.. Standing over her and trying to lift her into her small arms. Bella tried to tell her she was too heavy and to leave her, but all that came out was:

"You're the girl from the party."

But Bella didn't know what party, she hadn't been to one ever. Angela seemed to yell to someone, and then everything went dark.

She felt free, then she felt nothing.


	10. Chapter 10

**"I can feel it calling again, the primal need is filling me, changes are about to begin, and now my blood is boiling." - **  
**Disturbed- The Animal.**

( ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ )

Marie Swan was a great many things: She was a patient and supportive mother. A doting grandmother. A loyal friend. An avid gardener. She was a woman willing to give the shirt off of her back to another person in need if she could. She was also nothing if not a firm believer in never making a promise she couldn't keep.

It was why, at a quarter to twelve in the afternoon, the staff of Northwest Hospital and Medical Center found themselves bending over backwards to attend to one Bella Swan. She had been brought in by ambulance earlier in the week for seemingly passing out in her apartment for no medically known reason. When they couldn't reach her mother- the mayor- or her father- the chief of police, they called the last emergency contact on her insurance forms.

And good thing too!

Marie was livid. She had left message after message with her daughter in law's personal assistant- the last one a subtle threat that there would be consequences if Renee didn't make an appearance by nightfall.

Her son was the next one to call. His secretary had assured her that he would be there in an hour, and they now sat side by side in the room with Bella. The silence was thick in the room, and Charlie Swan couldn't help but cringe away from his mother's withering looks. Had he really been so wrapped up in his own life now that he hadn't noticed his daughter suffering in silence?

A throat clearing in the doorway revealed Angela. Behind her were two… less than respectable looking men. Charlie eyed them with the trained eye of a police officer and inwardly smirked when they danced from foot to foot in apparent nervousness.

"Hello Chief Swan, Mrs. Swan. How's Bella?" Angela asked quietly.

Charlie's shoulders dropped. "We still don't know. She just refuses to wake up."

"We were told you and a friend of yours were responsible for finding and getting her help. I'd like to thank you, Ms. Webber." Marie said with a kind smile.

"Yes. My friend Embry-" She said pulling on his hand, " and I were the ones to find her. I had heard from Alice and Edward Cullen that she had called out sick from school. After not being in church, I was worried."

"We're all worried. Who is your other friend?" Charlie asked with a suspicious eyebrow.

"This is my friend Paul. I met him, Embry and their friend Jared in the coffee house I visit every morning before classes." Angela supplied easily.

"And what is it you do? Both of you?"

Embry cleared his throat. "I'm a bartender at Lux Lunae, sir." He really hated cops. They were too nosy.

"I work in a garage." Paul answered, shrugging with indifference. He didn't seem to care that he was talking to the chief of police- Izzy's father.

"That's enough, Charlie." Marie growled. That had Paul shifting his weight. Marie carried more authority in her voice alone than the stare Charlie was trying to use on him.

"Ah… I see Bella's visitors have grown." An amused voice sounded from the doorway.

Charlie smiled tightly while Angela, Embry and Paul moved to give the man behind them room.

"Hello Dr. Cullen. How is Bella?" Angela asked without missing a beat.

Carlisle sighed. "I'm not sure. Medically speaking, she's completely fine. However, it's almost as if she's entered into a coma of sorts. Can you tell me, have you noticed anything odd lately? Undue distress, mood swings, sudden behavior changes, sleeping pattern variances?"

"No sir. She went to class, directly after, she went back to the apartment and studied until 8:30 every night, went to bed, and only went out if Edward or Alice were available to go with her." Paul blinked and stared at Angela in mild shock. He had had no idea her days were THAT hectic.

"Hm. Alright. I'm going to give it a day. She's exhausted if nothing else- though I have no idea why. That much is evident from the circles under her eyes. My guess is she was pushing herself too hard and her body couldn't handle the pressure." Carlisle said with a gentle shrug- the way doctors often times did when they didn't know what else to do.

Charlie sighed and watched him leave. He checked his watch and frowned. He had a meeting to get to in less than an hour. "If you'll excuse me. I have a meeting to go to. Mother, I'll talk to you later?"

Marie frowned at her son. Her eyes were narrowed as she leveled a steely gaze his way. "I'll call you if she wakes up before your **meeting** is over." She snapped.

Charlie winced. "Thank you. This meeting is important. A lot of the politicians are going to be there. It'll help me in the campaign for commissioner in the coming election."

Marie's glare said it all. She was none too pleased with her son at the moment. But it could wait. She had bigger fish to fry- namely the mayor and her son's wife- Renee Swan.

She turned her gaze on the three remaining occupants. "I'm assuming you didn't meet in a coffee house as you told my son." She said knowingly, yet gently.

Angela bit her lip and nodded. "Yeah… um… I met Embry in the club he works at. The same goes for B-Izzy and Paul."

Marie smiled. "Alright. Fair is fair. I'll save my energy for the confrontation with her mother. Now. I'm going to get something to eat. Would you three mind waiting here for me to return?"

Angela bit her lip again and glanced at both Embry and Paul. She smiled when they nodded. "Sure, Mrs. Swan. We'll be here when you return." She held the door open, waited the appropriate amount of time and then closed it when the woman was far enough away.

"It's so odd to see you so… polite." Embry teased.

Angela raised an eyebrow. "Try etiquette classes. Isabella and I were the most praised of all the girls." She preened pompously. She burst into a fit of giggles seconds later.

Paul shook his head. "So… Jared was right after all."

"It wasn't like that. I saw her as both Isabella AND Izzy. It's like… she was the same person, but not. She had NO clue who I was talking about both times I confronted her. As a matter of fact- I insulted her both times I did too."

Paul sighed and leaned against the wall. "So who is this… Edward?"

Angela rolled her eyes and pulled a disgusted face. "He's the man her mom wants her to marry. She's nothing but a breeder to Renee. Just another way to get her foot in the door with the right groups of people."

"So she doesn't want to marry him?" Embry needled.

"I don't think she wants to even KNOW him. He's so boring. So.. Old fashioned. He never let her go anywhere without a chaperone- be it his cousin or his younger sister or myself. And heaven forbid she talk to another man without him near her."

"Dude, it's like the Victorian age met the Stepford wives!" Embry crowed.

"Can I just kick his ass and get it over with? He's done her more harm than good from the sounds of it!" Paul huffed.

Angela chuckled. "He definitely doesn't make her happy, that's for sure." She said with a knowing smile.

The door was knocked on and Embry moved to answer it, only to be pushed back down to his chair. Angela counted to five in her head and moved to answer the door with a smile on her face. "Welcome back, Mrs. Swan."

Marie pursed her lips and shook her head. "Don't you dare. I don't expect that. And you'd be a fool to use it here with me. Be yourself Angela." She smiled.

Angela let out a breath and slouched against the wall. "Thank you Mrs. Swan."

Marie smiled and patted her shoulder. A comfortable silence danced over them, only broken by the steady beeps of the heart monitor Bella was attached to. In that time, the older woman watched her younger companions and noticed Paul's hand twitching. He wanted to touch Izzy, just to see that she was alright.

"They say that coma patients react to voices. Sometimes touch as well. Maybe you three should give it a try."

Paul grinned. He pulled his chair closer to her and touched her hand. "Hey, Izzy. You gotta wake up girl. You have to be there when I tell Jared he was right. Then you have to explain it to him. Otherwise he won't understand."

Her breath hitched, but otherwise she remained still. It was progress for them though. Embry patted her leg, Angela patted her shoulder and Marie took her unoccupied hand. They each lost themselves to their thoughts- and Angela's softly muttered prayers.

That was how Renee found them an hour later.

"And just what is going on here? Ms. Webber, who are your.. Friends?" Renee wondered, the sneer barely contained.

"Mayor Swan.. These are my friends Paul and Embry. I met them and their friend Jared in the coffee house I visit every morning before my classes." Angela supplied easily.

"I see. What are they doing here? I don't think they know my daughter." She asked with an arched eyebrow.

"They heard about Bella and saw how upset I was. Paul offered to drive me to the hospital to see her. Embry is here because Paul is taking him home afterwards- his car broke down, you see?" Angela asked with an easy smile.

Renee nodded her head. "I do indeed. Thank you for offering your help to Ms. Webber." She said stiffly.

Paul smiled. "It was no problem."

"Ms. Webber, I was wondering if maybe you and your friends were done visiting today? I would like to speak to my mother in law about a private matter."

Angela nodded her head. No, they weren't done visiting. "Of course, mayor Swan." She leaned over and kissed Bella's cheek. "I'll see you soon. Please wake up."

Paul and Embry refrained from touching her any more- even though Paul wanted to land a kiss to her lips.

Renee waited by the door and closed it when Angela, Embry and Paul were far enough away as to not appear to be shutting it in their faces. She checked her watch and huffed. She didn't know what Marie thought she had over her, but she was going to find out if it killed her. She had quelled each and every rumor that had surfaced about her during her career as a politician and was known to be one of the most honest and sincere ones to date. She was anything but in reality- she just knew all the right people and could afford to never get her hands dirty.

"Marie." She said coldly. "I'm here."

Marie glared openly at the woman trying to quell her growing temper. "So I see."

"What is it that was so important it drew me away from meetings all day long?" Renee snapped.

"I warned you, Renee. I told you if a hair on her head was harmed there'd be hell to pay. Or have you forgotten that I've been playing the game longer than you've been alive." Marie hissed.

Renee stared at her daughter- the one who had Marie's love and affection- even Charlie's love and affection- so easily. "I don't know what game you think you're playing, but I can assure you-"

"Tell me what you remember about the affair you had with a certain ex personal assistant of yours? The one who has proof from YOU in YOUR handwriting that says you are in a loveless marriage… dated three weeks ago?"

Renee paled. "How did you know about Phil?"

"So it's true." Marie said with a nod of her head. "Tell me, Renee. How would you feel if your lover knew you had no intentions of leaving my son for him like you promised?"

They neither of them noticed Bella staring at them. Their voices had roused her from her deep sleep. And she could hear every word of her mother's betrayal to her father.

"What do you want me to do, Marie? People are going to ask what's the matter with her! Heaven forbid the nursing staff talk! I have to do something! I can commit her to a ward here for a month or two. Tell the press that she was entirely too stressed and it caused her to have a breakdown. That's as kind as I will be."

Marie raised her head. "You do that, Renee- Mayor or not- and I'll send in those letters written in your hand to every mainstream newspaper and television studio Seattle has heard of. It won't be too long before it goes national."

There was fire in Renee's eyes. "So you'd allow Isabella to remain a harlot?!"

"NO! I'd allow Izzy to be who she CHOOSES to be!" Marie hissed.

"I think not! You can try it, Marie. Isabella is going to a rehab center where the papers and press will be told the stress of too much work and a pending marriage proposal took it's toll on her delicate psyche."

"**Izzy**!"

Both women blinked and looked down to the young woman laying in bed. "My name.. is. Izzy." She huffed.

Marie smiled at her. "How are you?"

Izzy blinked. "Tired. And I don't remember what happened. It's all just.. Flashes."

"This just PROVES why she needs to be medicated and committed! She's going crazy!" Renee nearly screeched.

"Last time I looked, mother, I was an adult. Don't presume to tell me that I'm going to rehab when I've done nothing to warrant it. As a matter of fact- I'd like you to leave. And if you happen to see my dad, ask him to leave too- I'm just a little upset with him at the moment. I'd like to spend some time with my grandmother." She snapped.

Marie stood and watched her granddaughter- pride in her eyes.

Renee was shocked. She had known about her daughters different personalities- had done her best to quell it. She realized now, the perfect daughter she had groomed was all but pushed into submission. She had to be careful now. This new side of her, the more open and free side, it was _dangerous_. 


	11. Chapter 11

**"Don't know what I'm gonna do but I just keep on going through changes... My friends can't understand this new me" Going Through Changes - Eminem**

(~_~_~_~_~_~)

_Author's Note: This chapter is going to go hand in hand with Chapter 10. While Angela, Embry and Paul are conversing with Marie, this is happening INSIDE Bella._

(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)

There was no more pain. There was only darkness.

Bella almost felt like she was floating peacefully on a river in the dark. She remembered once going on a Mission trip with Angela for the church and they'd been able to sit in large floating tubes on the water..

"Perhaps being dead won't be so bad." She mused aloud to herself.

Then she heard a scoffing sound and froze. She wasn't alone?

Her eyes snapped open- she was sure they'd been closed.

Instead of floating on a lake, she was back facing her mirror. But instead of her own reflection, she saw another her- She saw the 'Izzy' from her dreams. She was sure she'd never seen herself look so beautiful. Izzy's hair was wild, her eyes were smoky and alluring and she looked amazing in black and red leather. She wasn't sure what to really call the clothes she was wearing, she'd never been able to wear them herself.

"You're not dead." Izzy growled at her, the doppelganger crossing her arms in a hostile fashion.

"If I'm not dead, where am I? How are you here?" Bella asked softly, unable to look away from the female in the imagined mirror.

"You are in our head.. I've done some digging while you were asleep- By the way, _your majesty_, took you long enough to come to."

Bella huffed, "Excuse me? If you've been in my head-"

"-**Our** head" Izzy interrupted, looking down at her ruby red nails almost in dismissal of Bella's whining.

"FINE! **Our** head.. Excuse me.." Even in her own mind she had to be lady-like. "If you've been in our head you can see I'm anything but a princess. I thought I was just dreaming of you."

"Yeah and I thought I was dreaming of you." Izzy snarked back, smacking her hands down on the counter top. "But it turns out, we share this space. That pain we felt was just the walls that separated us breaking down."

Bella gasped, "Mother is going to have us committed!"

There was a rumble in the darkness and then warmth turned the darkness a brown shade, it was kinda nice.. Bella was sure she'd seen it before.

Izzy gasped excitedly, "Paul! Paul I'm in here! PLEASE!"

Bella raised an eyebrow, "How do you know?"

Izzy rolled her eyes, "This brown is the same color as his eyes."

Bella thought up a chair and sat down, still facing the mirror, "For someone who seemed all hard and bad, you sure are mushy inside when it comes to Paul."

"Shut up. We have to wake up. The only way that's going to happen is if we agree on who gets to be the one to occupy the main living stream.."

Bella sighed, "It should be you."

That gave Izzy pause. She was sure the prim and proper Stepford wife would be aching to get back to Edward and "their" parents.

"Why me?" She asked, hating the almost vulnerable tone of her voice.

"You come out in the night. Have you ever seen our life in the harsh light of day? I mean really SEEN it? No. Because you see it through what you thought were dreams. Izzy, you've never felt the warmth of sun. You've never sat on the grass with a book in the afternoon and enjoyed the peaceful breeze. And honestly, I don't want to go back. I've been dreaming so long of being you. You could have a life, Izzy. I could disappear."

For some reason, the thought of that made Izzy panic, "**NO**!... Uhm. No. I'll accept your offer to be the one to wake up, but I don't want you to disappear. I have the feeling we can't do this without one another. And maybe one day, we'll be back together. I think Grandma Marie knows more than she's saying. I heard her threatening Renee."

The color changed again to red, and Izzy sighed, "Paul's gone.. I don't want to wake up alone."

"You always wake up alone."

"Because something always pulls me back home.. I guess that was you."

Bella had an interesting thought, "Am I still a virgin?"

Izzy snorted, "Yes. **WE** are still a virgin. We're not all pure as fresh snow, but that cherry has never been popped."

Bella's nose wrinkled, "You are so _vulgar_!" But there was a smile on her face.

She pressed her hand to the mirror, "Go be in the sun, Izzy."

"You'll stay with me? Maybe now that our barrier is down, we can still talk to each other..."

"Like the voice in your head?"

Izzy smiled, a real smile. "Yeah. You can be the voice in my head."

Izzy's palm was then pressed against Bella's through the mirror. Around them, everything began to spin and then there was a flash of light.

"I'll be seeing you." Bella whispered. Then Izzy was gone.

(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)

There were voices. Izzy could hear harsh tones...

"So you'd allow Isabella to remain a harlot?!" - That was her mother.. She was sure of it. The thought filled her with horrid anger.

"NO! I'd allow _Izzy_ to be who she CHOOSES to be!" Grandma Marie.. She always had been her champion. She'd always been the one to beg to just let her be a child. She could see that from Bella's memories.

"I think not! You can try it, Marie. Isabella is going to a rehab center where the papers and press will be told the stress of too much work and a pending marriage proposal took it's toll on her delicate psyche."

"**IZZY**!" She screamed out. She watched as the two women froze.

Both women blinked and looked down to the young woman laying in bed. "My name.. is. _Izzy_." She huffed.

Marie smiled at her. "How are you?"

Izzy blinked. "Tired. And I don't remember what happened. It's all just.. Flashes." Something inside her, probably Bella, had told her she had to lie in the presence of Renee.

"This just PROVES why she needs to be medicated and committed! She's going crazy!" Seems Bella was correct. She mentally thanked her other self, even if she did not agree to Bella's life.

"Last time I looked, mother, I was an adult. Don't presume to tell me that I'm going to rehab when I've done nothing to warrant it. As a matter of fact- I'd like you to leave. And if you happen to see my dad, ask him to leave too- I'm just a little upset with him at the moment. I'd like to spend some time with my grandmother." She snapped.

Renee left in a false huff, Bella noted inside that Renee was usually much more forceful.

Izzy smirked, their mother was scared.

"Now, Grandma Marie... Can we speak?"

Marie sat down gently on the side of her granddaughter's bed. "First, please let me ask. Is Bella still in there?"

Izzy paused for a moment, but then at Bella's permission she nodded. "She's here. We just have a deal of sorts.. We can communicate now. But then again, you've always known this was going to happen, haven't you?"

(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)

Edward Cullen was very put out. He had been between the legs of a hot little strawberry blonde named Tonya when his phone had went off. The tone had screamed that it was the Mayor calling. He gave Tonya the silent warning and answered his phone.

"Hello? This is Edward Cullen. How may I help you?"

"Cut the shit, Eddie. My daughter is in the hospital. As her doting and loving almost-fiancée, you should be there supporting her!" Renee refused to give away that Bella was now Izzy and she had no idea what would be happening. She only hoped Edward would snap Izzy back into her lock box and Bella could stay..

"Renee, Isabella and I are otherwise departed. Her scandalous behavior-"

"Her behavior is nothing compared to yours. I pay you good money to act the way you do. Remember what is coming to you after the wedding. I don't care how many other girls you **fuck** but you will maintain your image with my child! GO FIX IT!" And she hung up.

Edward growled, dressed quickly and left.

Upon arrival to the hospital, he swore he saw Angela Webber speaking with two rather large, tattooed men but he couldn't be sure. He did hear his name when he walked away, but chalked it up to him being a public image figure. He was talked about in most places.

He charmed the young nurse at the front desk for the information for his almost-fiancée and entered the elevator to 'go to work' so to speak. His phone bleeped with the tone of money entering the private account from Renee.

He knocked gently and upon hearing a 'who is it' asked, he opened the door.

"Isabella, my dear.. I hear you're feeling under the weather." 


	12. Chapter 12

"**I'm goin' home, gonna load my shotgun, Wait by the door and light a cigarette,  
If he wants a fight well now he's got one, And he ain't seen me crazy yet,  
He slapped my face and he shook me like a rag doll, Don't that sound like a real man,  
I'm going to show him what a little girls are made of, Gunpowder and lead!" **

**-**** Miranda Lambert**

( ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ )

"Isabella.. My dear.. I hear you're feeling under the weather."

Izzy froze.

The last person she wanted to see just yet was the arrogant, self absorbed, headache inducing prick of a coppertop now standing at the foot of her bed.

"She's doing better now. Your father has been taking care of her." Marie said coming to stand by Izzy's shoulder.

"Ah, Mrs. Swan. I didn't see you there. You look lovely today." Edward all but simpered with a slight bow from the waist.

Marie arched an eyebrow. Edward quickly changed tactics. Clearly, she wasn't one to be won over by compliments.

"How are your roses? I bet they look marvelous as always." He tried again.

"They're dead. It's the wrong time of year to grow them." She replied frostily.

Izzy bit her lip and looked down at the blanket across her lap. She had to hide her smirk less Edward see it and an argument started. She'd never seen a man fight so hard to compliment a woman before.

'Yes you have. Every night.' Bella reminded her of the nights in the clubs when men would try to compliment her and she'd simply brush them off.

So that's where the look came from. She'd have to thank her grandmother.

'Hush you!'

Izzy was seriously wondering if it would be a good thing to have Bella as the 'little voice of reason' inside of her head.

"Izzy, I'm going to call Angela. She shouldn't be too far away. She'll be thrilled that you're awake finally. Would you like me to pull your father from his meeting as well?"

Izzy sighed. "No. it's important to him. I'll see him this weekend." The bitterness was only lost on Edward. Marie only shook her head and smiled.

Edward took a seat beside her. "That was very generous of you, Isabella. Your parents work very hard to give you the best in life."

Marie pursed her lips and walked stiffly towards the door. Before she left, she made it known that she wanted the door left open at all times. Propriety demanded nothing less. Edward nodded in agreement and waited until Marie was around the corner before walking back to the side of the bed.

"Hw are you really feeling, love?"

Izzy could clearly see he was already bored. Huh. She smirked inwardly. She just had to wait. Edward didn't have a prayer to save him. All she had to do was wait for the most opportune moment to make it known that she wasn't going to be cowed anymore.

"I'm well enough, thank you. Your father has taken great care of me. I'll be able to go home tomorrow." She said quietly. "It was just a panic attack caused by too much stress." She added.

"That's good news then. You had everyone worried. Perhaps you should take a semester or two off. Limited time with friends and fewer social outings as well. It would greatly reduce the stress to your person."

"Oh, no. Edward, really I'm fine. There's only one more semester before the end of the school year. It wouldn't look too good if I were to quit now."

'_Ha! Argue THAT_.' Izzy crowed to herself.

Bella snorted. '_You know he was captain of his prep school's debate team?_'

'_No one __**ASKED **__you!_'

'_Temper, temper. You'd better listen before he realizes he doesn't have your undivided attention_.'

Izzy could already picture a smug smile from Bella. She really didn't like it either. Not for the first time since their little.. Agreement.. She was wondering just how crazy she really was.

"Isabella?"

"Forgive me Edward. I'm getting tired."

Edward's smile didn't reach his eyes. "That's alright love. Rest now." He said leaning over to kiss her cheek.

Izzy frowned. "Edward?"

"What is it?"

"Why do you smell like another woman's perfume?"

"You must be mistaken, love. I wouldn't fool around when I'm in a committed relationship."

Even Izzy could tell it was a jab to her. She sucked in a breath and stared at him with her jaw slightly opened.

Edward grimaced. "Forgive me. I shouldn't have said that. How can I make it up to you?"

And there was her foot in the door.

"First off, you can take your loving, caring act and fly it and yourself out the window!" Izzy said with a smirk.

"I beg your pardon? Isabella! That is NO way for a lady of your standing to speak! What would your parents think? Why are you even talking like that?!"

"**Izzy**. My name is **Izzy** you self absorbed, egotistical, limp dicked jackass."

Edward was shocked. He'd never seen this side of her. He'd be a fool to admit that he found it rather refreshing from her porcelain doll act. "Where is this even coming from?"

"I don't like being lied to Edward. I called your bluff and you STILL deny you were fucking someone else!" She hissed.

"Isabella! Listen to yourself! Ladies of your social standing do NOT speak like this!" Edward glared back.

"And for the record, while I WAS in the arms of another man- yes, I say man, not boy like you- it never ONCE escalated to anything more than dancing and a few very passionate kisses! What can you say about the woman you were so obviously with before you came to see me?"

Edward was stunned. He'd been so careful. "I don't know what to say right now.. Clearly you've taken leave of your senses, love. I'll have to speak to-"

A knock on the door frame was all the warning they had before Marie walked back in with Angela, Paul and Embry in tow. "Look who I found, Izzy, dear."

"Isabella! Oh! I'm so happy you're awake!" Angela grinned.

"Hello Angela. My grandmother said I just missed you before I woke up."

"I was happy she caught us. I was almost to my car. When she told me you were awake, I rushed right back here to see how you were doing."

Edward cleared his through haughtily. He raised an eyebrow when Angela looked up at him.

"Oh, Edward, hello." She said politely. "I almost didn't see you there."

"Ms. Webber. I was just getting ready to take my leave. Isabella is getting rather tired. She needs her rest. I was told too much stress placed her here and was discussing measures to help reduce her stress levels. It's best she not get too excited right now." He said while glaring at Paul and Embry.

"You need to leave, Edward. My friends are here to see me." Izzy almost growled.

"But, love, surely you wish for me to stay. After all, you don't know Ms. Webbers… friends. It would be inappropriate for a lady such as yourself to be in the presence of men without a chaperone."

Marie rolled her eyes. "She's asked you to leave. And if you hadn't noticed, I'm here. I'll see to it that nothing scandalous happens."

Izzy grinned at the sarcasm in her grandmother's voice. Even Angela had to hide a smile behind her hand. Embry and Paul, however, did nothing to hide their amusement.

"If it helps, Edward, these are my friends- Embry Call and Paul Lahote. Embry, Paul, this is Edward Cullen. I met them in the coffee house I visit every morning, Edward. They're perfect gentlemen."

Edward eyed them. They didn't **LOOK** like gentlemen. They looked like hoodlums. Renee was NOT going to like this at all.

Paul arched an eyebrow and watched his 'competition' stalk angrily from the room. "So… that was Edward then?"

"Pompous ass." Izzy muttered.

Embry grinned. "Welcome back Izzy."

"Thank you."

Marie simply smiled. "Now that Edward is gone, and you're not so stressed with your friends, I'll take my leave. I'll be back in an hour. I'm going to go for some lunch. Angela, Embry, would you care to join me?"

Angela smiled. "That sounds wonderful, thank you Mrs. Swan."

Embry eyed them. "Yeah. I guess. You still gonna be here Paul?"

"I'll be here. Jared wanted to come say hi. I have to wait for him."

Izzy smiled. "I'll see you guys later."

Paul watched them leave before closing the door and moving to sit next to the bed. "Hey gorgeous."

"Hush with that. Flattery will get you nowhere."

Paul raised a brow. "You sure."

"For now." She said with a smirk.


	13. Chapter 13

"They move too fast to be words behind your teeth

The give and go of most of your memories

But I'm not the one that they need pray for  
If I've got it all then what does do

Leave it alone  
Oh that once little boy we used to know

Are you willing... well?"  
-Coheed & Cambria - "The Lying Lies and Dirty Secrets of Miss Erica Court"

( ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ )

Edward fumed silently as he walked down the halls of the hospital back out to his car, purposefully avoiding his father's areas.

How dare that little 'princess' talk to him in the way she just did? He didn't know how she had even gotten the life-experiences to smell Tanya's perfume! As far as he knew, she was absolutely clueless- even with that damned hickey on her neck.

He wondered which of those filthy Indians gave it to her. Probably not the huge one.. Paul? She'd be terrified of him!

Once he reached his car, he hit the button on his dash to in-call car Renee. He knew she was not going to be happy with what exactly was happening with her child.

"This is Renee." She growled. He smirked, wondering how many others had access to her private line. He knew her daughter didn't.

"Renee. She kicked me out. It's almost as if she's a totally different person! She was completely defiant and spiteful."

Renee rolled her eyes, "Stop whining. I know you know how to deal with women. You were picked because of your firm nature."

"She was using profanity! I've never seen this Isabella!"

"She's been hanging out with less than reputable companions when you haven't been watching. Perhaps we should have had you two move in together. Perhaps we still should before she gets home from the hospital. It's not too late..."

Edward blanched. If he had to live with Isabella, he'd be hard pressed to press his hard-on into anything but his hand!

"Uhm.. I don't think that would be wise. She's more likely right now to just never return there if she finds out I'm moving in or have moved in and that would be bad news for us all."

He heard Renee huff, "I've got to get into a meeting. You fucked up somehow, Cullen. I know you did. She's not the most experienced young woman, I saw to that in her upbringing. YOU have to get Isabella back under control and make sure she stays that way. I don't care if you study S&M and treat her like your little bitch! JUST DO IT! And don't let Charles find out ANY of this."

"I know the deal, Renee.. You just make sure you keep to our arrangement as well."

A beep signified the end of the conversation. He ran a hand through his hair as he drove. At least she admitted she was still a virgin. Not that he really cared about that, in fact he preferred them to be learned in the ways of sex.. But sloppy seconds from a mongrel was not his idea of sexy.

Sexy... Isabella's fire in that bed had been amazing! He wouldn't love it if she acted that way in public, but if she could bring that fire into the bedroom- WOW! He pulled into his driveway as thoughts of Isabella in various sexual positions that even Tanya would not allow. He adjusted himself subtly and entered the living room where his sister Alice was waiting for him.

"Edward, what on Earth have you done now? I tried to call Isabella at the hospital and she told me I could follow the same instruction she gave you.. THEN HUNG UP ON ME!"

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose, "She's gotten some new friends, Alice. They seem to cause her to act in a manner unsuited to a lady such as herself."

"Does the Mayor know?" Alice's pointed look almost made Edward cringe. Alice had found out about the deal ages ago and only agreed to keep his secret if he shared his money with her, kept her own fiancée Jasper Whitlock in the dark about HER lovers and let Alice guide the other female in the ways of life.. Training her as SHE saw fit.

"She knows..."

"EDWARD! If this all goes wrong, Jasper will find out because the PRESS will find out. I can't get rid of Jasper until AFTER our wedding so that I can get half of his fortune!"

Alice hissed, enraged at even the mere thought of letting the Texas rancher worth BILLIONS slip through her fingers. Jasper was quite nice to look at, but his money was better. Alice could care less for smelly cattle, acres of land with NO SHOPPING and not even a decent cell phone signal.

"Alice, this is going to be contained." He heard a thump from upstairs, "Do you have a victim up there?"

Alice enjoyed playing with her mating partners before practically draining the energy from them. She was "kinky" but not in the way most men preferred. Alice may have been small, but she was quite the dominant personality in the bedroom. All the charges on HER private account would make most people say "Oh My!"- Leather, whips, chains, collars and the like.. For both men AND women but NEVER for Alice...

"Hmm? Oh yes. My teaching assistant, Emmett McCarty is up there."

Edward sighed, "I'm not even going to comment on your debauchery. I'll pack a bag and stay with Tanya tonight."

"You can't stay with Tanya! Isabella is sure to be released tonight. You should wait for her, on her porch with roses... GRAND GESTURE OR SOMETHING!"

Edward had never wanted to strangle his sister more.

"I'll ask Father to text me if and when she is released. It's not fair if we're both in this quote together unquote but I'm doing all the work while you're fucking your teacher!"

"Teaching Assistant! And stop actually saying quote and unquote, it's stupid."

He fought down the urge to slap her, "Goodbye Alice..."

( ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ )

Charlie sat in his meetings, but he could not focus. All he could see was his little girl laying in that hospital bed. While he knew his duty was to the city, being the Chief and all, he couldn't help but think of her.

How had he gotten here? He blamed his mother for his thoughts. He was perfectly content with how his life was going until today. He knew he was disappointing her, but he was only trying to make sure Isabella would have the best future.

Before all this, they'd lived in a simple two bedroom home that was nothing special.. Smoke-stained walls from the previous owners, peeling red paint, his beat up old rust-bucket of a Chevy in the driveway.. Isabella seemed happy, content to hang out with him in their garage and listen to old music while pretending to play air guitar. She didn't seem to mind not having the newest dolls or the best clothes. She liked playing outside, drinking warm sodas and digging in the dirt with her Grandma... Her only friend was the neighbor boy Jacob Black but he figured once she started school she'd make friends at recess.

But then Renee started becoming unsettled. She wanted a better car, a better house- Angus beef steaks on the grill and jewelry from Tiffany's in her jewelry box. She started pushing for him to do more, do better, get the promotions.. Work more, play less. Isabella would be fine. Isabella needed a brighter future!

She then started on her own path.. PTA boards at Isabella's school, then into city politics.. Clawing and biting her way up until she finally got her position as Mayor. Isabella was no longer allowed to play outside. Isabella no longer had weekend breaks, Holiday vacations or anything but books, tutors and etiquette lessons. She was demanded to dress better, talk politer, drink no more sodas and NEVER have candy. Jacob was banned from the house and eventually, his acceptance into Forks Elementary was taken away due to "over-crowding" and he had to go back to La Push.. Wasn't it amazing that it happened once Renee was on the school board?

He stood up, alarming everyone in the meeting, "If you'll excuse me, my daughter is in the hospital. She finally woke up. We'll have to reschedule."

He ignored the stares as he left. He didn't know if his daughter was awake. He didn't know what would happen since he left that meeting. He didn't even know what would happen tonight once his wife found out. All he knew.. Was that he wanted to drink a beer for the first time in almost 17 years.


	14. Chapter 14

Let's go back  
Back to the beginning  
Back to when the earth, the sun, the stars all aligned  
'Cause perfect didn't feel so perfect  
Trying to fit a square into a circle  
was my life  
I defy  
-Come Clean.. Hillary Duff

Paul sighed and watched the only woman to have gotten under his skin sleep. He hadn't known her that long, but it felt like he had. It'd been only a couple months now, and yet, he felt he knew her as well as Jared. It was impossible, he logically knew that, but he wasn't thinking logically at the moment. All he knew, was he was screwed. He didn't want Izzy to leave his life.

A throat clearing from the door way alerted him to a visitor. He looked up and saw Jared standing there with a small vase of flowers. "Hey, Jared, come in. she's asleep now."

Jared held up the vase. "I saw it in the gift shop on the way in. Girls like flowers, right?"

Paul grinned at him. "Yeah. I think she'll be ok with em. Come have a seat. She's not gonna bite."

"You sure?" He wondered. He'd treated her pretty badly.

Paul shrugged. "It's just Izzy."

"Yeah… look man-"

"I owe you a major apology." Paul said suddenly.

Jared stared at him, confusion evident on his face. He wasn't expecting that. "What the hell for?"

"Because of the fists I threw at you without taking the time to listen. We were both wrong, and we were both right." He said with a sigh.

"Ok… you've lost me, dude, you're speaking in riddles." Jared huffed.

"Izzy… Bella… she's got some kind of split personality thing. Her mom was supposedly a real piece of work. She made her take all these etiquette classes, maintain high grades, even down to a certain diet. That chick you saw in the window? That was Isabella."

Jared's eyes widened in shock. "Oh wow…um…. Wow. So… Izzy is… Isabella?"

"If I hear that name one more time the next person to say it gets smacked." A voice rang out to them.

Paul smirked. "Hey Izzy." He crooned.

She smiled and turned to face Jared. "Thank you for the flowers. It was a sweet gesture."

"Um… you're uh… you're welcome." He said shifting from foot to foot. He still didn't know how to act properly around her. He didn't know which girl he was going to see.

"Have a seat. I don't bite." She said with a small grin.

Paul arched an eyebrow. "You sure?"

"Hush you."

Jared shook his head. This was the girl his best friend was falling head over heels for. The one that had him by the balls, so to speak. "So… uh… Izzy… I guess you heard us?"

Paul eyed him warily. "Jared…"

Izzy nodded. She waved Paul off and sighed. "Yeah… all I can do is tell you that… well… I guess.. My mother wanted me to be a perfect porcelain doll. I hated that and well… it took a little time, but I broke free. At first it was just flashes of a different person… like looking in a mirror and seeing someone else.. Someone you wish you could be.. Then it was other things.. Angela kind of opened my eyes too a little. She called me Isabella… it made me think."

Jared listened patiently to her talk. So many things made sense now. He glanced at Paul, noticed his friends attention drawn solely on the girl and turned back to her. She seemed to have shrunk into her head again. He couldn't help but wonder at the kind of pressure her so called mother had put her through.

She cleared her throat. "Anyways… it's over and done with. I told my mother she could leave when she came to see me… she's none too pleased with me at the moment. My grandmother will be here to help when I get discharged. You actually just missed her. She's amazing."

Jared smiled. "I'm glad you're alright. It can't have been easy for you."

She shrugged. "I'll survive."

They lapsed into an easy silence after that. Izzy was lulled to sleep by the beep of the heart monitor giving Jared and Paul time to talk.

"I'm sorry." Jared told him quietly.

"What the hell for?" Paul asked, echoing Jared's earlier spoken words.

"Because. I thought she was just playing you. I had no idea…"

Paul grinned. "You were looking out for me. It's fine. Besides, this way with us not fighting anymore, we'll be a united front when it comes to dealing with the prick known as Edward Cullen."

"Who?"

"He's her supposed fiance. Or at least he wants to be. Her mother matched them together. And she can't stand him."

"Her mother… matched… what the hell is this… the 16th century?!"

"SHHH! That's what Embry and I said too."

Jared shook his head. "What'd her dad say?"

Paul only shrugged. "I don't know… he doesn't really do too much with her. He's working on becoming the police commissioner or something. Izzy was kind of peeved that he wasn't here when she woke up."

"I would be too… I mean hell, she's an only child right? I thought all women were daddy's little girls or some shit like that."

Paul rolled his eyes. "That's the way it's SUPPOSED to be if you believe the saying. But it's not always the case. Look at all the girls you hear about who are wronged and violated or hit by their dads. There are some seriously twisted people out there."

Jared was quiet for a minute or two. "I guess so. I just can't see Izzy as being someone who would have that happen- let her parents run her life, I mean. She comes off as kind of bitchy."

"Repression does wonders to a person." A voice quipped.

Paul grinned sheepishly. "Did we wake you up again?"

"I was only dozing anyways. I am glad that you two aren't fighting though."

A throat clearing cut any further conversation short. A nurse had come in with a tray of food for Izzy. She wrinkled her nose at it and sat patiently until the nurse had taken her vitals and left the room.

"That doesn't look too appetizing at all.." Jared muttered.

"It looks like something died on the side of the road and then was scooped up by the kitchen staff." Izzy huffed.

Paul snorted. "Would you like something else?"

"No, I'll eat it. I have to or they won't let me leave." She said with a sigh.

Jared stood and shook his head. "I'll go get us something to eat from McDonalds. Can I get you something, Izzy? Ice cream or anything?"

Bella nearly jumped for joy at that. She'd not had any sugar in so long. "Um.. Sure, ice cream would be good. Um… my wallet is over there in my purse."

Jared waved her off. "Don't worry about it. My treat." He said over his shoulder before leaving. He knew what Paul got. He always got the same thing.

Before she could say anything else, Paul's lips were covering hers in a demanding kiss that left her feeling breathless and dizzy. When they broke apart, her eyes were slightly glazed over and she had to rub her thighs together in order to find some relief. Paul merely smirked.

"What was that for?"

"I've been wanting to do that since you first woke up." He admitted.

She rolled her eyes and grudgingly began eating. She was promised she could leave today, she was determined to not give them a reason to keep her.

( ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ )

Izzy sighed and inhaled deeply. Home. And free.

For now.

Carlisle himself had been the doctor to release her. Her grandmother had been back for less than twenty minutes- just long enough to tell Paul that he and Jared should head home- before he was walking into the room with papers for her to sign. She was given strict orders to rest for a week and then only light activities.

In other words, they didn't want her to have any kind of fun.

Fat chance. She was perfectly fine. Her small breakdown, was really just a wake up call. It came when she needed it the most and she felt perfectly content now with herself and her mind. Even if Bella was a permanent resident now. She could have it, Izzy's mind was a dangerous place to be sometimes.

She was just about to step into the shower when a knock sounded on her front door. She debated ignoring it, until the knocking turned into pounding. With a sigh, she turned the water off and donned her robe. She ran down the list of people who could possibly want to see her and sighed when she couldn't figure out who it was.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming." She muttered.

When the door was open, Izzy stood, frozen in shock. Of ALL the people who she had thought of.. Her dad was just not one of those people.

"Dad?"

"Isabella."

Izzy was too shocked to say anything. She couldn't even find it within herself to correct him about her name. She stepped aside and let him walk by. When the door closed, she led him to the living room and sat with her legs crossed on one side of her couch while Charlie took the other.

"What's the matter?" She finally prompted.

Charlie sighed. "We need to talk."


	15. Chapter 15

"Daughter to father, daughter to father- I am crying, a part of me is dying and These are, these are the confessions of a broken heart...And I wear all your old clothes, your polo sweater. I dream of another you.. The one who would never (never)- Leave me alone to pick up the pieces. A daddy to hold me, that's what I needed!"

-Confessions of a Broken Heart by Lindsay Lohan -

( ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ )

Izzy felt a wave of hurt rush over her as she stared at her father standing on her doorstep. She quickly put on the mask she felt she would need.

"Hello Father. Come inside, I guess. No need to talk on the porch..." She stated simply, moving to allow him inside. 

Charlie stepped inside and looked around the apartment of his daughter. It brought him back to his own college days before he had met Renee. Living with his room mates, Harry Clearwater and Billy Black- drinking Rainier's Vitamin R, eating junk food and having a great time.. 

But the apartment of his daughter didn't look like she had fun at all. Knowing how she probably felt pressured to act, she didn't know the meaning of fun anymore. Her school items were neatly arranged on a desk in her living room. Her practice piano was set up and plugged in by the front window. The coffee table had appropriate magazines all neatly aligned.. The term "plastic" came to mind.

He followed her to her comfortable looking couch and they sat down. He was completely oblivious to the conflict inside his own child.

(-_-_-_-_-)

_"Izzy! Our father is here! WHY is our father here?" _Bella was panicked. The only time her father visited was when she'd done something wrong. 

_"Perhaps he heard about me telling off Dickward. I don't know but if he starts on me, I'll fire back. I don't even want to talk to him!"_

_"So don't..." _Bella stated. Izzy mentally flipped her off. She wasn't used to this shared headspace. She didn't think it was that easy. _"Take a break, Izzy.. I'll handle it."  
_

_"I'll step out if you need to switch again."_

(-_-_-_-_-)

And so, Bella sat, facing her father with a look of confusion now on her beautiful face. 

"What can I do for you, Father?" She asked politely, folding her hands over her lap as she had been taught. She'd never been alone with her father since that day she saw him in the garage. He'd always had her mother with him and then he'd rarely spoken except to parrot the disappointment that spewed like acid from her mouth. 

"Bells.." She froze. He didn't call her that anymore. She heard Izzy whimper; She remembered those days too? 

Charlie noticed the look on his daughter's face at the name and it made him want to cry.

"Oh Bells. I'm so sorry. That look on your face.. It only shows what I realized after I saw you laying in that hospital bed was true."

Bella bristled inwardly, Izzy clenching her mental fists in rage. Did their father know about each of them? If he had, that was SICK! How could a father-

"I've been a terrible father to my little girl. I don't even remember where I went wrong. You used to be so full of life and now I can't remember the last time I even heard you laugh."

"Your wife taught me laughter is like the braying of a donkey, quite unbecoming to a lady." Izzy must be rubbing off on her, the venom in her voice wasn't masked at all.

"I'm so sorry! I have the feeling I'm going to be saying that a lot this visit. I guess I just let her take over. I don't know why exactly. Maybe I thought she would take you and leave. I couldn't be without my family. It would have killed me to lose you. So I did what she said, and I became what she wanted me to be." 

"I remember watching you change. I remember waiting by the door for you all day once, refusing dinner and having mother call me a brat over and over. But you didn't come home until after I was asleep. It became a habit. I grieved for you!" Izzy screamed inside her head, and Bella only repeated the words because she had the same memory. Perhaps they were once the same? Would they ever merge again?

Tears pooled in Charlie's eyes, so much like her own. "You hate me..."

"I don't hate you.. I just don't know you. You don't know me either."

Those words were like a bullet to Charlie's heart. They were so true. He didn't know her favorite food, her favorite color or anything a father should know. 

"I want to."

Bella sighed at those words. As much as she wanted him to too, that would never be allowed. Izzy sensed Bella's growing hurt and worried about her, so she stepped in. 

"You can't. Your wife won't let you. Your wife won't let ME! She controls EVERYTHING. When was the last time you wore blue jeans? When was the last time you even got to scratch your nuts in your own home? And don't tell me that you don't because ALL MEN DO IT! Men burp and fart and watch football on Sundays. Men drink and play poker and get a hard-on for old classic cars. MEN have, want to have and think about SEX. Wipe that look off your face. You wanted to know me and you got me. Before you think it, I AM a virgin. Before you ask it, I have NEVER done anything with Edward and before you want it, PLEASE HUG ME!"

In a flash, Charlie had his daughter in his arms and was clinging to her in a tight hug as the tears finally fell from his eyes. How right was his own child? How had he been so blind? He was slightly disturbed at her image of men, but he hadn't show her any better.

Izzy and Bella both relished in the comfort of the hug. It hadn't been planned but they'd both been crying out for one for so long. Izzy realized for the first time in a long time that she was actually crying. She didn't know if it was a manifestation of her emotions, or Bella's emotions, but she was crying. 

She abruptly pulled back from her father and wiped her eyes. At his hurt expression she grimaced.

"Sorry. I don't cry.."

Charlie laughed through his tears and kissed her on the top of her head, "That's ok, kiddo. I don't remember the last time I did either." 

They sat in silence for awhile, and then they began asking questions about one another. With a glance at the clock, Charlie realized that it was time for him to go. 

He stood awkwardly, "I guess I should get back home.. Your mother is expecting me for our weekly dinner together."

Izzy huffed out a laugh, "You know how horrible that sounds, right?"

He nodded, "I do now. After today, I know how a lot of horrible things sound.. And I see how bad things really are. I still don't know what I'm going to do, but it has to get better. It's like I can finally see how bad things are and I just can't let you live like that anymore." 

"Like what?" Izzy asked. There would only be one right answer...

"Unhappy." And with that, Charlie walked out and back to his car. He waved once and then drove away. 

Left with only each other again, Izzy spoke freely.

"Well Bells! Let's clean house!"

_'Clean house? I am ALWAYS cleaning the house. YOU are the slob here.'_

"I don't mean physically clean. And don't call me a slob. I mean re-organizing our life."

Bella felt weary, _'What do you mean?'_

"I mean, I'm going to take out and burn everything in here that reminds me of the Stepford Wives.. Starting with our damn bedspread. That thing is SO ITCHY!"

_'Don't touch my piano!' _Bella screamed.

"I'm not going to touch the piano. I like the piano. But jeez! There is no PERSONALITY in this apartment!"

Izzy walked into their room and began tossing items into their hallway. A pile began to form...

Bedspread, gone.

Sheets, gone.

Ugly brown lamp, gone.

Adhesive shower flowers, gone- due to be replaced with adhesive shower ducks.

Floral towels, gone- due to be replaced with softer, fluffier ones.

Izzy then turned her gaze on the closet...

"Oh we are so going to need to go shopping."

Bella cringed, _'Do we really have to do this? I'll have nothing left.'_

"We'll just go shopping." Izzy replied, throwing the closet doors open. Her gaze bypassed her own clothes and went straight to what she had dubbed, 'Bella's Stepford Collection.'

Bella was grumbling as Izzy started throwing out her clothes. It's not that she really cared, she'd always wished for nicer things. But they were HERS. 

Izzy was fed up, "LOOK! Bella! You can't keep making us dress like a grandma trying to dress like a grandma. I mean seriously Bellsy, I've seen women in Iraq show more skin than you!"

_'When did you go to Iraq?'_

"NOT. THE. POINT!"

They continued to go through all of Bella's items until there was literally nothing left except Izzy's clothes in their closet and dresser. 

Bella wanted to know where they were going to get money to go shopping. 

Izzy smirked to herself as she began to get them ready, "Remember that unlimited black card we were given?" 

_'The one I say is only for emergencies?'_

"Yeah well it isn't. But I would say that this IS a fashion emergency." 

Izzy shoved the black card, her ID and her phone in the pockets of Paul's black jacket before going to walk out the door..

And who would happen to have been about to knock on her door, but Paul.

_'Speak of the Devil.' _Bella almost whispered, causing Izzy to smirk.

_**'Bella, I feel a sin coming on.'**_


	16. Chapter 16

Girl when you want it, you know that I'm on it  
You know that I love lovin' up on you  
Let's hit the switch and let our shadows dance  
And light it up like it's our last chance

-Burnin It Down by Jason Aldean-

(~_~_~_~_~_~)

_** 'Bella, I feel a sin coming on.'**_

Bella only sighed but refused to comment. She still wasn't quite sure what to think of Paul.

Izzy smirked. She'd actually surprised him when she opened the door before he'd had a chance to knock. She watched as he took her in with an arched eyebrow and an amused grin. His eyes moved from her mid calf length, stiletto heeled, black leather boots and up her bare legs to the pleated black mini skirt she wore, finally to the crimson, crocheted crop top that hung off of her shoulders slightly.

Paul licked his lips ever so slowly when his eyes met hers. Even her make up- though minimal- was stunning. Some liquid eye liner, a light coat of mascara and a simple clear lip gloss had him all but begging- silently and in his head only- to kiss her.

"Going somewhere?" He finally purred. His voice practically oozed sex causing her to trap her lower lip between her teeth in an effort to keep her groan of want at bay.

She nodded. "I am." She told him with a slow smirk when her body was under control.

"Anywhere fun?" He inquired.

Her fingers hooked into the belt loops of his sinfully tight- almost painfully so- hip hugging black jeans. His black tee shirt with the logo of the garage he worked out of- **Uley Auto Repair and Body**- printed on the back was all but painted onto him. His steel toed boots stopped inches from her own boots as she forced him to invade her personal space- not that either of them were complaining.

"I'm going shopping for new clothes." She whispered, her voice husky and laced in spades with lust.

His own hands moved to her waist. "Anything in particular?" He was dreading her throwing away some of her outfits. The one he first met her in was a rather fond one of his.

"You can come with me if you want, but I doubt you'd have any fun." She mused. She relished the way his thumbs grazed lightly over the bare skin of her hips.

He internally debated for a minute with his head tilted in thought. "Where are you going exactly?"

She couldn't help the slow smirk that danced over her lips. "Victoria's Secret, Fredrick's of Hollywood and Hot Topic to start with. After that, it's off to Traffic." She sighed.

She had a lot of ground to cover.

"Why are you going to traffic? What does that have to do with shopping?" He asked in confusion.

Izzy actually giggled. It'd be just like a guy to ask that. "No… Traffic is a shoe store. They specialize in designer shoes and boots. And I LOVE their selections. Where do you think I got these from?" She asked showing off the boots on her feet.

"The cab drivers are gonna hate you." He teased.

"Nope," She grinned popping the p. "I have a car, just… I very rarely drive it." She said pointed to the car in the parking area of her apartment building.

Paul's eyes bulged in awe. "Izzy…" He swallowed hard and made his way over to the car.

"I know… it's old… but… it was my grandpa Swan's. He willed it to me after before he passed away."

"Do you have **ANY** idea what this is?!" He felt like a kid on Christmas morning.

"A car?" Amusement and confusion colored her voice as she answered.

"Izzy, this is a 1969 Dodge Charger! It's a fucking classic! Damn but she's a beauty too!" He said running his hand over the body of said car. The deep green paint seemed to shimmer under his touch- almost as if the car recognized in him the ability to see just how much the car was actually worth.

"Is it automatic or manual?" He wondered.

She knew that one. It was easy. "Manual. My grandfather taught me before mother demanded I stop spending summers with my grandparents."

"Why in the **HELL** are you not driving this more?!" He asked.

She smiled sadly. "Two people. You can guess who, I'm sure. '_It's not proper for a young lady to be behind the wheel of such a dangerous car,_' and '_Why would you want to drive when I can pick you up in the mornings_?" She parroted her mother and Edward with a sneer in her voice.

Paul picked her up and spun her around, causing her to squeak in surprise before laughing at his antics. She wrapped her hands around his neck and her legs around his waist until he stopped spinning. Her head was tucked into his neck as if it would keep her from getting dizzy.

"Just one question." He smirked.

Her hands rested on his shoulders as she pulled back to look at him. "Oh?"

"If I go with you, will you model everything for me?" He teased.

Bella threw her head back and laughed, long and loud. "And here I thought you were going to ask me to let you drive!" She teased back.

"Well, I want to.. But.. I wanna see how well you handle a stick." He leered.

Bella scoffed but remained altogether quiet. She was oddly quiet and neither comforted or content with the things Izzy was thinking of at the moment. All of them involved the man standing before her, looking for all the world like sex on legs in his nearly painted on black tee shirt and dark washed denim jeans that hung low on his waist.

Izzy smirked. "Come on big boy. Park your bike and hop in." She purred.

It took him no less than three minutes to park his bike and slide into the passenger seat. When the car was started, he closed his eyes and revel in the roar of the engine. It was almost orgasm worthy. He guessed correctly when he asked if it still had all its original parts. He sighed in bliss and tenderly rubbed the dashboard.

It took another five minutes of basking in 'bliss' before they were off. So much for getting things accomplished.

Paul was definitely impressed with the way she handled the car. It was like she'd been born to own it. And it didn't help that she looked fuck hot driving either if the looks of lust she was getting at red lights from male drivers were anything to go by. Paul had only smirked and moved his hand to rest on her thigh, feeling the way her muscles shifted under her skin whenever she'd change gears.

The conversation came easy for them and before he knew it, they'd found a decent parking place outside the main entrance to the mall. It was only after the car was locked up that Paul scooped her into his arms and placed her on the hood of her car. He bent her backwards and used his body to pin her there as his lips met hers in a searing kiss.

She was dazed when he let her go and he couldn't help but smirk. "What was that for?"

"Do I need an excuse?"

She grinned. "Probably not. You ready?"

"Not really, but come one." He pretended to pout.

She chuckled and led the way through the crowds to her first stop. She caught the look of trepidation on his face and grinned. "It'll be fine. You'll get to see me in them, remember?"

He leaned closer so his lips were against the shell of her ear. "I'd rather see you OUT of them though." He purred.

(~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~)

Five stores, numerous shopping bags and as many hours later, Izzy was walking through the door of her apartment with Paul following her- each of them loaded down with bags. This was the first time Paul had been inside her apartment and he arched an eyebrow when he saw just how bare it was. There was no personality at all. A chuckle behind him brought his attention to her.

"I cleaned house and got rid of my mother."

"Well that explains the lack of.. You." He grinned.

She nodded. "It does indeed." She said sauntering over to him slowly.

He smirked. "You know…I think I was promised my own runway show."

"I think I remember something about that." She said with a coy smile dancing onto her lips.

His hands moved around her waist. "Why don't we start with what you're wearing now… under this." He said with his eyes raking over the mini skirt and top.

She swallowed for a minute. "That'll be kind of hard…"

His nose ran along her jaw up to her ear. "Why's that?"

"Because…" She said with a smirk. "_I'm not wearing anything underneath_."


	17. Chapter 17

And I tell myself to run from you  
But I find myself attracted to my dilemma,

My dilemma, it's you, it's you  
Your eyes have told a thousand lies

But I believe them when they look in mine…

My Dilemma- Selena Gomez & The Scene

(~_~_~_~_~)

Bella had enough of this little game.

She waited patiently for Izzy to bring Paul in and for him to sit down and get comfortable- Meaning Izzy practically melting into his lap with innuendo before she 'yanked' Izzy back and took over.

She hopped right off Paul's lap, leaving him in a state of dazed confusion.

"Izzy?" He questioned, watching the girl warily. She had went from sex kitten to caged tiger in 0.5 seconds- A side-effect of Bella maybe?

"Nope" She brunette snapped, popping the 'p' quite angrily.

Paul groaned, adjusting himself and hoping his Izzy would come back to him.

"Well, you must be Bella then. I'm-"

"I know who you are mister cool, smooth Playboy! I'm not stupid. Just because for awhile I could only dream of you doesn't mean I don't know now that those dreams were all real."

Paul smirked and had Bella not been so furious, she might have melted. "You dreamed of me, little girl?"

Bella crossed her arms, turning on the attractive man and fixing him with a glare so cold it could melt LAVA. "I am not a little girl. While I've been repressed, I am not a little girl. Because of my so-called dreams, I do know you Paul. And while Izzy may think this is all cool and fun-"

_ 'Oi! Don't be ruining my Kool-aid with your bitter apples!' _

_'SHUT UP! I will TOTALLY deal with you momentarily.'_

Izzy surprisingly stayed quiet. She turned back to Paul, "Excuse me, she felt the need to voice her opinion."

Paul nodded, but remained silent. This girl was a million kinds of bat-shit crazy, but it turned him on to no end for some reason. Once he learned about the two girls in one, he should have split. The normal Paul would have split, so why didn't he?

"ANYWAYS! You may think this is all cool and fun but I'm not going to stand by and stay silent while you **RUIN** US!"

"Ruin you? You mean like in the way women were considered ruined in Victorian London if they were engaging in sexual acts before being married off to some Duke or Earl by their parents for a little more social standing, even though they basically pay the guy with a dowry to take their kid? That kind of ruin?"

Bella stomped her foot, and knowing somehow that this innocent little girl was dressed like his hellcat but stomping her feet in her little boots was slightly adorable to Paul- Not that he would ever admit to using the word adorable.

"NO! Ruin as in let us get attached to something that isn't real! Ruin as in **IZZY** has all the fun and then cuts out as soon as it gets real and the pain starts coming in. RUIN as in DESTROY an already emotionally fragile woman, yes WOMAN because technically as long as Izzy and I share this body we are still one **WOMAN**, to the point we'll probably be committed like our mother wants-"

Paul cut her off mid-tirade by placing his hand over her mouth gently. Her eyes widened and she knew she should have felt offended at his handling of her. After all, she'd been taught how gentlemen were to treat young ladies.. But Paul wasn't a gentleman, he was just a man. Her body went against all teachings and actually felt quite turned on by his way with her.

"Look Bella, I'm not a ruin a chick sort of guy."

Images of Lauren wrapped around Paul flashed through Bella's memory.. Izzy's memories. And while Izzy might have thought it a cute game of Cat & Mouse, Bella thought it was,

"Bullshit."

Izzy gasped. The Stepford Wife said a curse word.. Guess she was picking up some Izzy habits.

Paul scoffed, "Are you even allowed to say that, Princess?"

Another foot stomp earned a smirk from Paul, serving to irritate Bella further.

"I'm allowed to say whatever I want. You do realize Izzy came from my **REPRESSION** right?"

"You sure you're not just bat-shit crazy and created the Wonder Woman of Bad Ass chicks?"

Bella wanted to throw something, but thanks to Izzy's prior cleaning out- there was nothing to throw. All their items for the house were to be delivered tomorrow.

"You're saying you're not out to hurt us, but you're damn sure not out to help us either. I remember Lauren. And I'm pretty sure that you and Iz didn't exactly DTR, so you're probably out with tons of other girls when you're not with her! You might care somewhere, but not enough. You're just another player. Here's a little newsflash for you- **WE ARE A VIRGIN**!"

Izzy smacked her forehead _'Way to go, Bells. The V word is a total hint to cut and run for hot guys like this! Guys expect chicks our age to have done a little awkward fumble with someone, even proper girls like you were supposed to be.. Jeez!"  
_

Paul tilted his head, taking in this new girl that looked like the girl he was starting to maybe have a sort-of thing going on for.. "Virgin?"

Bella rolled her eyes, "Did I stutter?"

He nodded, "Okay. So you have a V-Card.. And?"

"And I'm not going to let Izzy just hand it over to some jerk who wants to hit it and quit it.. Now I'm going to go deal with HER so.. See yourself out."

Bella turned and walked into her bedroom, slamming the door. She didn't care if Paul left or stayed. Paul was no longer a priority. She quickly wrote him off as another player.. Which caused Izzy to raise up.

_ "Are you fucking CRAZY, Bella?! He's not just another player! I've known guys way shittier than Paul."  
_

_ "Yeah!? Paul is no prize! Yes, he's gorgeous. Yes, he makes us laugh and feel nice.. But at the end of the day do you think he's EVER going to make a life with us? NO!"  
_

_ "You don't know that!"  
_

_ "YES I DO, IZZY!... Yes I do. You may have thought Lauren was some great challenge, but she's not. Lauren is just another girl who got attached to Paul like you're doing. Lauren was probably just like you in the beginning- He picked her up on the bike, let her borrow his jacket, got what he wanted. Then you came along. But you're more of a challenge, so he stays until he can pin you. But do you honestly think as soon as he finally FUCKS you, that he'll keep acting this way? You'll be just another Lauren."_

Izzy's voice was really small, _"You're wrong."_

_ "Then why don't you sound so sure anymore?"_

(~_~_~)

Paul stood in the living room for awhile after hearing the door slam.

He heard every word.

A normal guy would have thought hearing a chick talk to herself like that was nuts, but Paul knew the score. It offended him that Bella thought that way of him and caused Izzy to doubt him herself. He knew he should have cut Lauren off a long time ago, she was annoying as fuck, but she was familiar..

Izzy had already changed him in so many ways.. And he was still having issues with that.

The more he thought about Bella's impression of him, the more he got pissed off.. And after hearing Izzy's almost small reply when she was usually so confident, he'd had enough! He burst into her room and pinned he didn't even know which one to the wall, crashing his lips down on hers in a kiss that melted her knees and made her heart pound so hard he felt it against his chest. It ended as quick as it started and he fixed, hopefully Bella, with a hard stare.

"I've never let ANY female wear my jacket.." And then he was gone.

A very heavy silence settled around Isabella.

Bella felt Izzy's amusement.

_ "What one EARTH is so funny, Izzy?"_

Izzy just laughed and mentally nudged Bella's hip with her own, _"He totally just showed YOU."_ and she skipped back into the little room she'd created for herself in their headspace, leaving Bella to brood.

Author's Note:

I can't speak for my twin directly, but I love hearing from people. It makes me feel all happy inside... ok not completely the truth but it still puts a smile on my face... this is a first for us... so if you could leave us your thoughts, we'd appreciate it :D Thanks for taking the time to read.


	18. Chapter 18

Crazy girl, don't you know that I love you?  
And I wouldn't dream of goin' nowhere  
Silly woman, come here, let me hold you  
Have I told you lately?  
I love you like crazy, girl

-Crazy Girl.. Eli Young Band

(~_~_~_~_~_~_~)

Paul sighed as he sat astride his bike in the parking lot. He had two options at the moment. He could either go and talk to Bella and try to make her see reason… or he could go and see his best friend and brother in every way but blood. Jared seemed like the logical choice at the moment. His sunglasses went over his eyes and his engine was turned on and revved before he was off towards the garage.

Sam was a little surprised to see Paul's bike pulling into the garage's parking lot. As far as he knew, Paul had gone to see Izzy and was still there. He nudged Jared and nodded his head to their friend when he caught the look on his face. Jared frowned. Something was definitely wrong with him. The pair watched him saunter over to Sam's punching bag in the corner and strip his shirt. They winced at the resounding smack of his bare fists hitting. His knuckles were sure to be bloody soon.

"I'll handle it." Jared said with a sigh.

Sam nodded. "Let me know if you need me. I'm closing for the night."

Jared eyed him. "You're closing early?"

"Half an hour." He shrugged.

Jared snorted and threw a grease rag towards his friend and boss. He made his way over to Paul who was busy laying into the punching bag kept in the back. He winced when Paul's bare knuckles split open.

"Paul… what's up bro?" He asked holding the bag still.

Paul continued to beat on the now steady bag, his eyes laced with built up frustration and anger. He ignored Jared in favor of hitting said bag. He barely acknowledged the pain in his hands.

"Paul… come on… talk to me." Jared tried again.

He sighed. "I went to see Izzy. I didn't ask her about the cop car… I pretty much figured it was her dad… dude… she met me at the door!"

"And? Sam said you were going to talk… what happened?"

Paul sighed and rested his head against the bag. "I went shopping with her.."

Jared blinked. "I'm sorry… it sounded like you said you went _shopping_ with her! The hell?"

"Yeah." He smiled wryly. "Five hours."

Jared shook his head. "This girl is changing you. You sure you want that?"

"And if I do?" Paul challenged. His fist came a little too close to where Jared's face was.

Jared pulled his face back quickly and eyed his friend. "I'm not saying anything. You obviously like her. I've just not seen anyone hold your focus like this since Ra-"

"Don't say her name!" Paul growled.

Sam eyed the two, having heard what was said only shook his head. Rachel had done a number on him before she skipped town to be with her hokwat of a boyfriend she'd been living with for the past 4 years or so.

"Ok… so… you went shopping with her… you talked to her, made up… made out… what's so bad about that? Why are you so pissy now?"

"I'm not done yet…"

"How bad?"

"I met Bella tonight."

Jared winced. "That bad, huh?"

"She was livid and indignant all at once. You'd think I would have skipped out when I found out from Embry's girl what was going on… but there's just… something about her…"

"You're not going pussy whipped are you?" He teased.

Paul snorted. "That won't happen for a while."

"Oh?" Jared raised an eyebrow.

"Bella made sure to point out to me that she's got a v-card still intact."

Jared's eyes bulged. "Holy shit! What the hell, Paul?"

He nodded. "Yeah… Bella's under the impression all I wanna do is hit it and quit it."

"Even I know better than that. This girl is clearly a little too touched in the head if she thinks that's all you want from her."

Paul glared at him. "Back off Jared."

Jared shook his head slowly and held his hands up in submission. "Easy bro. Look. The way I see it, you need to prove to her that you're in it for the long haul. Clearly you like her… lord knows why… but if she's who you want, then prove it to her."

"And how the hell and I supposed to do that?" Paul huffed. "You didn't hear her.. I mean.. she thinks she's Laurens sloppy seconds."

Even Sam had to snort at that. He abandoned cleaning after he'd locked up in favor of sitting in the lounge chair close to them. "Did you set her straight?"

Paul smirked. "With a kiss on the lips that almost stole her breath."

Jared laughed and slipped on a pair of padded boxing mitts. "Good to see she's not totally changed you." He said holding them out for Paul to hit at.

"Doubt it. I'm just tired of playing the field. Izzy's… she's different- crazy yes… but different. She doesn't take my shit. Apparently neither does her alter ego." Paul mused.

Jared rolled his eyes. "Her alter ego was being pawned off to the scum of the earth. Remember?" He teased.

Sam laughed. "Paul can take that pansy ass."

He rolled his eyes at both of them. "Shut it Uley."

"And if I don't?" He teased, echoing Paul's earlier words.

Paul grinned. "Put your money where your mouth is bro." He teased.

Sam snorted. "I'm not that stupid. You fight dirty."

"Yeah, well… according to Izzy, she likes him dirty." Jared snickered. "HEY!" He ducked the glove aiming towards the back of his head. "I'm teasing."

"Yeah, well… I've come to the conclusion one way or another that I'm fucked. She's had it rough… it's caused her to go a little crazy… but damn man…I don't think I'm willing to give her up."

Jared chuckled. "So don't. give her up, I mean."

A knock on the door interrupted them from their sparring match. Even Sam poked his head out of the back to see who was stupid enough to not read a sigh that clearly read 'closed.'

"I know that silhouette." Paul groaned.

Sam shuddered. "Yeah.. She's got my girl pissed as hell because she's been hanging around here looking for you for the past two hours."

Jared rolled his eyes. "I'll handle it. Again."

"You seem to be doing a lot of that lately." Sam teased.

"Fuck you, Uley." Jared quipped.

"You first Cameron." He smirked.

Paul only shook his head. These were his friends.

"Tell me why his bike is still here then?! He never leaves without it!"

Paul rolled his eyes.

"He took my car." Came Jared's easy reply.

Thankfully he'd parked inside the shop today. Paul eyed the compact tin can that Jared called a car and shook his head. The man was 6'5, built just as well as himself and Sam and it amazed him still that his friend could drive it.

"One way or another Jared, you'll regret keeping me from him. His little bitch may be good as a distraction, but Paul is **MINE**."

Sam shook his head at Paul in sympathy. "What the hell is it with you and the crazy ass chicks?"

Paul shrugged. "Lauren was a fun lay… for a month or two. Then she got damn clingy. Izzy… she's it."

Sam smirked. "She finally tame the untamable?"

"Nah… just caught his attention." Paul grinned.

Jared huffed. "And she's gonna catch Izzy's attention if the look of jealousy was anything to go by. I just got done telling her you were still at her apartment."

Paul groaned. "Wonderful. Look, I'm goin' to get a shower. I need time to think."

Sam and Jared only watched him walk up the stairs with amused grins on their faces. Things were going to get interesting of that, they were certain.

(~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~)

Bella sighed. She'd retreated inside her head and allowed Izzy to do with the apartment what she wanted. If she weren't so sullen at the moment, she'd admit that it wasn't half bad. Instead, she was thinking of none other than the resident bad boy in her life, Paul. She was woman enough to admit that maybe, just maybe she was wrong. But he'd given her NOTHING to prove that he could be trusted for anything more than a one night stand. That was NOT what she was looking for. At all.

_ 'You should have just listened.' _Izzy chimed in.

Bella rolled her eyes. _'So you did.'_

_ 'I TOLD you he wasn't like that. I TOLD you he wasn't out for that… but did you listen… nooo of course not! The one time you get to meet him, you go and ruin it by suddenly coming down with foot to mouth syndrome!'_ Izzy scolded.

_ 'Maybe I was a little over dramatic.' _Bella agreed.

'_You should apologize for it too._' She added firmly.

'_What I said was valid._' Bella argued.

_ 'But no less hurtful for it's falsehood.' _Izzy huffed. _'You don't even __**KNOW**__ him. For all your self righteous fury directed towards him and what you THINK, you've never taken the time to try and know him before hand.'_

Therein was the key reason Bella was so upset with herself. _'What if I invited him over. Started again?'_

_ 'IF he even wants to! Honestly woman… bringing **Lauren** into it?! You should have just compared him to Edward. That would have been a little better!' _Izzy griped.

_ 'Yes! Yes! I know I did something wrong! Stop yelling at me! I'm trying to NOT be so crazy! As if talking to myself isn't bad enough! And my mother expects me to become a therapist… I NEED a therapist!' _Bella growled.

_ 'I won't argue with that… are you going to try this time?' _

_ 'I owe it to the both of us, now don't I?'_

_ 'Just let me talk to him!' _Izzy warned.

Bella finally conceded. She'd give him a try. _'Behave yourself!' _She warned.

_ 'Yes mother.'_

Izzy dialed his number and waited for the phone to pick up. She smiled when she heard his voice.

"Hello?"

"Paul? Hi… it's uh… it's Izzy."

He frowned when he heard the uncertainty in her voice. "Hey gorgeous. You ok?"

She smiled. "Maybe. You mad at my other half still?"

Several minutes passed by. Izzy bit her bottom lip praying Bella hadn't royally screwed things up for them.

"No. I'm really not."

She could have leapt for joy. Bella merely rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry about that… I hope you know." She said.

"You don't have to be. Bella is kind of right in some ways. I guess I've been nothing but a potential one night stand, huh." He teased.

"But what if I like you like that?" She purred.

_ 'THAT'S behaving?!' _Bella hissed.

Paul smirked. "You sayin that's all you want from me?" He asked. He held his breath and waited for the answer.

"No, Paul. That's not all I want." She admitted.

Paul sighed. "Me either." He admitted quietly.

"But… can we take it slow?" Bella insisted she asked. "Bella wanted a chance to try to know you…

Paul grinned. "Sure thing baby girl. Whatever you say."

Izzy sighed. "You do know I'm a little crazy right?" She teased.

"Who's not?" He quipped.

_ 'Huh… maybe I was wrong after all.' _Bella mused.

Izzy only sighed. _'I told you..'_

They spent the next twenty minutes talking before Izzy told him she had to go. She had time off after being in the hospital and planned to use it to her advantage to figure out what she was going to do with her mother and Edward. She had a feeling things were starting to come together for her- not quite fitting just right yet, but soon.


	19. Chapter 19

When you seek me you destroy me  
Rape my mind and smell the poppies

Born and bloodied every single time

Always keep me under finger  
That's the spot where you might linger  
But I see some type of pleasure in my mind

"Slither" by Velvet Revolver

(~_~_~_~)A/N: Song at the end is owned by Christina Perri. (~_~_~_~)

Edward was beyond furious.

He had found out Isabella had been discharged hours ago. His father had refused to call him, his excuse being that Isabella had not given her permission for Edward to be called. In fact, the little bitch had outright told the elder Cullen to NOT notify Edward.

Who did that little BITCH think she was?!

He had tried calling her, but she picked up not once. Once he tracked her down and put her back at his side where he was being paid to make sure she belonged, she would be punished. With this new attitude of hers, he knew she would be defiant. He would enjoy breaking her spirit.

Visions of forcing her to her knees, her eyes blazing up at him- bending her over with a hand tangled in her hair to keep her where he wanted her- creamy skin red from discipline.. It all flashed through his mind as he thought about it. Glancing down at his watch, his ire was only raised when he realized he didn't have time for a pit stop at Tanya's to take care of his needs before his meeting with Mayor Swan.

He tried his forced fiancée once more.. Voicemail. This time, he left a message.

"Isabella, this behavior will no longer be tolerated. I've tried to be patient. You've admitted to indiscretions, you've spoken to me disrespectfully and now you're blatantly disregarding my attempts to communicate with you. You're leaving me with very little options. After my current meeting, I will be locating you."

(~_~_~_~_~_~_~)

"Once I wrap my last meeting up, I'll come meet you okay?" Renee purred into her cell phone. Marie's threats were of no consequence to her any longer. Her daughter was out of the hospital and she was sure that the old bat had retreated back to her hippie house. Charlie would never know about Phil.

She listened to the husky promises of her lover and shivered gleefully at his naughty promises. She would have to make this quick with Edward. She heard the tell-tale footsteps of the copper annoyance and rolled her eyes.

"He's here, lover. I'll see you as soon as I can."

She looked up to see Edward walk in, clearly very put out. She almost dismissed him entirely. What concern was it of hers if he was upset? He was being paid quite well to do as she told him to do. He'd gotten used to a certain lifestyle, and Renee knew she could take it away.

"Hello Edward. I trust everything is getting back on track?" Renee sat back in her chair, her fingertips coming together in the way most of those with dark motives tended to do.

"No. Everything is not." He almost growled, "I need your help. Isabella is out of control. When I went to the hospital, she called herself Izzy. She used some pretty choice language and all but had me removed from her room. She even had the nerve to question me about fidelity! AND! She instructed my father to NOT call me when she was discharged. She's ignoring my phone calls as well. She's not falling back into line and if I can't FIND her I can't CONTROL her."

Renee smirked, "My daughter is too much to handle? Have you tried the services of your sister? She's on the payroll as well and could be a useful tool as she was in the past. If she refuses, I have ways of getting what I want and all she'll need is a little reminder."

"I'm sure she'll do as you ask. She requires Jasper's money. Our parents have found out about her spending habits and are threatening to cut her off financially until her nuptuals."

"There won't BE any nuptuals if she doesn't do as I SAY! Now! Be a big boy, take care of the problem you are PAID to take care of, or the skeletons of the Cullen heirs will come full scream out of the closet!

Edward's eyes darkened, "And your own skeletons?"

Renee stood, her hands on her desk and her face contorted with fury, "You dare to threaten me? I'm the MAYOR, you pitiful child. I can FUCK YOUR EXISTANCE UP! You think telling the world about my dalliance with Phillip would end my career? HA! Clinton was getting blow-jobs in the White House and he stayed.. This sleepy little town won't give a damn. And no one will believe you once EVIDENCE of your perversion are released to the press."

"And your... Hiring of me?"

"Can be erased in an instance. I'm not ignorant, Edward. I have ways of making all traces of that money from me disappear. I can make it look like you've been getting money from anyone! Don't try to push me. I can make or break you. Is that clear?"

"Crystal..."

"Get out of my office. Take care of your JOB or you won't be getting anymore paychecks."

(~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~)

Charlie stood outside his wife's office and felt his heart harden with each word from his wife. He wanted to shoot her! He'd always known something was off with that kid, but he'd pushed it aside for the betterment of his child. But now that he knew the truth, he could see Edward was nothing but poison.. Painfully, so was his wife.

He hid behind the reception desk when he heard Edward's footsteps, and once he was sure it was clear he was back to the door. He heard his wife on the phone, probably with her Phil.

No more.

He burst through the door, "Renee! I've had enough!"

She had the nerve to look innocent, "Charles! Dear! What on Earth has gotten into you?"

"I know the truth."

He watched as the face of his wife morphed from sweet to viper in seconds, "Close the door.. We have much to discuss."

(~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~)

Paul parked his bike and walked up to Izzy's door, her favorite greasy meal of a double bacon burger with EXTRA bacon and onion rings in hand. She'd agreed to dinner at her place as long as he brought the meal. Apparently she was a crap cook whereas Bella was an amazing cook and after earlier she didn't know how the two would react together for long periods of time..

He stepped on the porch and raised his hand to knock when he heard light tones from a piano.. Bella must be 'awake' because Izzy couldn't play piano. He didn't know if she could honestly play anything. What he knew of Izzy was actually very little. He made a mental note to change that..

Then he heard her voice..

"I.. Can hold.. my breath. I.. can bite.. my tongue. I can stay awake for days, if that's what you want. Be your number one. I can fake a smile.. I can force a laugh.. I can dance and play the part, if that's what you ask.. Give you all I am.."

Definitely Bella. He leaned against the door, thankful for her cracked front window. A peek into Bella would be valuable in his plan to prove he wasn't just out to hit and quit.

"But I'm only human! And I bleed when I fall down. I'm only human. And I crash and I break down. Your words in my head, knives in my heart. You build me up and then I fall apart because I'm only human..."

Why was she not at some college for gifted musicians? What was the big one.. Julian? Julie-Yard? Something like that.. Why was she not sharing her talent?... Then he remembered- her parents. They probably wouldn't think their daughter traveling from place to place without 'proper discipline' was socially acceptable.. Nor would they consider music a 'real career' if the looks of Renee Swan were anything to go by.

"I.. can turn.. it on.. Be a good machine. I can hold the weight of world if that's what you need. Be your everything.."

Paul snapped himself out of his 'listening' when he noticed he was being watched by an older lady across the street and raised his hand again, finally knocking. The music stopped abruptly and he heard some shuffling before the window was closed.

Who would answer the door? Izzy or Bella? And at this point, did it even matter? He cared for Izzy.. But he felt like Bella needed at least a friend. A real one. Could he be that for her?


	20. Chapter 20

One, two, three and four  
The devil's knocking at your door  
Caught in the eye of a dead man's lie  
Start your life with your head held high  
Now you're on your knees  
With your head hung low  
Big man tells you where to go  
Tell 'em it's good  
Tell 'em okay  
Don't do a goddamn thing they say

-Heaven Knows by The Pretty Reckless-

(~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~)

"Come on Bella. Behave. You promised!" Izzy hissed quietly.

Paul grinned. Any normal man would have run to the nearest car, hopped in and sped away. But, he'd promised to get to know her- them- so he'd follow her lead. He stood, waiting patiently for the door to open.

Izzy sighed and pressed her forehead to the door, taking a minute to collect herself. When she was ready, the door was opened and she grinned to Paul. "Hey, Paul. Come on in." She said with a grin.

Paul grinned and crossed the threshold, closing the door behind him. "I got a double bacon burger with extra bacon and onion rings for you. Hope it's alright." He teased.

Her eyes lit up and she all but moaned. "It's PERFECT! Thanks." She gave him a peck on the lips before taking his hand and leading him to the living room.

They sat in a comfortable silence, each of them enjoying their food. Paul couldn't help but watch her. She intrigued him and he admitted to himself at least that he was falling for her a little more each time he saw her. She was sassy, smart, inquisitive- yes- but at the same time she was cautious and a little shy too no thanks to Bella. He smirked when she caught him watching her and chuckled when she arched an eyebrow in question.

He shook his head and took a bite of his own onion ring. When they were gone he began fiddling with his napkin. He didn't honestly know what to say right now. They hadn't really talked before even though they got along great- it had always been small things. If he wanted this to progress he needed to spend time with her and really get to know her.

"You ok, Paul?"

He grinned. "Yeah… just thinking."

"About…"

"Would I get smacked if I told you it was about how hot you are?" He wondered with mirth in his eyes while he teased her.

Izzy smirked. "Nope." She grinned. "Wouldn't mind that at all." She purred.

Bella huffed though she refrained from commenting. She'd made a promise to try and get to know him.

"I was actually wondering…" Paul stopped himself.

"Yeah?"

"Sam is having a party at his house later on tonight… you wanna go?"

Izzy grinned. "Sure.. You know you don't have to be so nervous, right?"

"Yeah, well…the things I wanna do to you right now.. I'd rather not get smacked." He teased.

She laughed and shook her head. "You don't have to be nervous." She reiterated.

She popped her last onion ring into her mouth with a sexy smirk and sat back to watch him shift in his seat. When she was finished eating, she took their trash to the kitchen and threw it away before coming back and grabbing his hand. She smirked when he arched an eyebrow but stood and followed her anyways.

"Don't look so skeptical." She grinned.

After she'd grabbed two outfits from her closet, she walked towards the bathroom before throwing a grin over her shoulder at him. He shook his head and made himself comfortable on the end of her bed, grinning when he heard Bella hissing about Izzy's behavior. His girl was a little on the crazy side, but he was starting to love it.

Wait… HIS girl? LOVE it?

Paul sighed. He needed to stop those thoughts for a little while longer. She wasn't his.

Yet.

A throat clearing brought his attention to the doorway. Izzy stood in a burgundy red halter top with black straps across the front of it, a leather mini skirt and knee high stiletto boots. "I have another outfit to show off too… but… what do you think?"

He drew his tongue slowly over his lower lip as his eyes took in the outfit. "I like it." He answered honestly. "Like it better on the floor." He muttered.

She shook her head. "Yeah, but it's not having the usual effect on you." She grinned.

He smirked. "Wear that when I take you out later this week?" He mused.

She paused for a minute with her back to him before throwing a sassy wink over her shoulder. "No promises." She grinned.

Paul chuckled and shook his head. Before he knew it, she was back in front of him looking every bit as sassy and sexy as he'd ever seen her. His eyes roved over her body, taking in the outfit- a corset top littered with buckles and zippers, a low rise pair of black cargo pants that hugged her curves and bore the same zippers and buckles across the thighs down to the shins, a pair of black combat boots and a pair of fingerless gauntlet style gloves riddled with the same buckles. All in all, Paul was shifting in his seat trying to find a way to readjust himself. Izzy looked completely bad ass and he loved it.

"Yep! There's the reaction I wanted." She teased.

Paul smirked. "You're missing something you know."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Oh?"

"I'll show you when we get ready to go." He said sauntering over to her.

Her eyes searched his as he caged her against the wall. Her chest started to rise and fall just a little quicker when he invaded her space. Before she could ask him what was going on, his lips were on hers, her body was pinned with his, and she felt just what she'd done to him.

Paul was smirking when he pulled away from her in order to fill his lungs with air he so desperately wanted. "You should finish getting ready. I'm gonna go wait in the living room for ya." He grinned and smacked her rear end lightly causing her eyes to widen slightly.

It took her no more than ten minutes to finish getting ready, her outfit completed with a spiked choker with a heart in the center, handcuff earrings and light makeup- mainly mascara, eyeliner and clear lip gloss. She walked out to the living room and slid into his lap with her arms around his neck. She grinned coyly when he arched an eyebrow.

"It's early yet…" He mused.

She wasn't disagreeing. "Uh huh…" She cajoled.

"Pool hall?" He asked.

She grinned. "It could kill a couple hours. You sure you wanna lose to lil' ol' me?" She teased.

Paul grinned. "I think I can handle you."

"You sure?" She teased.

His arms wrapped around her waist as he stood, pulling her up with him. "Think so." He grinned when she laughed.

Her ID, money and key to her apartment went into her pocket after the front door was locked. She was mildly surprised to see that Paul had waited at the bottom of the steps for her, but grinned none the less. He stopped her when they got to his bike. "I told you, you were missing something… close your eyes?"

She eyed him before her eyes closed. Her eyebrow was arched in question when she felt something heavy draped over her shoulders. When she was told to open them, she was shocked marginally as her eyes took in the black leather of his jacket covering her arms. Waves of Bella's subtle guilt filled her briefly as his comment of never having let any other female wear it came back to her.

"Your jacket." She didn't need to say it, it was obvious enough, but she couldn't help the giddy feeling. He was really trying.

"Come on. Let's go kill some time before Sam's party." He said with a grin.

(~_~_~_~)

They'd just sat back down after a dance with Izzy planted firmly in Paul's lap. Both of them were sweaty and Izzy's cheeks were a little flushed as Embry offered them drinks to cool off. He merely shook his head and pulled Angela onto his lap. He was taking a break from mixing drinks to enjoy her lips against his.

Jared merely smirked. He'd been watching Paul with Izzy since they'd gotten to Sam's and he could only shake his head at the two. "How long you two sitting down for?" He teased.

Izzy's reply was cut short by an indignant gasp. "Pauly! What are you doing with that tramp?!"

Paul groaned and looked pleadingly at Sam and Jared. They merely arched their eyebrows. They knew better than to mess with Lauren. She'd caused problems with Sam and his girl enough as it was. Jared just didn't want to hear her and was looking forward to watching Izzy put her in her place.

Izzy growled and opened her lust hazed eyes to stare at the bottle blonde in front of them. "**Paul** isbusy. **You** need to shoo little fly." She said before dragging Paul's lips to hers for a heated kiss.

Jared watched as Lauren's feather's ruffled. Things were about to get interesting..

Lauren yanked Izzy away from Paul, a frown on her hastily reapplied lipstick coated lips. "No you listen, and you listen GOOD. Pauly isn't going to be busy with you anymore! He's MINE and you need to back. Off."

She missed Paul's shudder of repulsion. He didn't want to be claimed by anyone other than Izzy and maybe her counterpart, Bella- when the time was right.

He watched on- much like his friends as Izzy moved closer to Lauren. "I'm only going to say it once, bitch. So listen good. Take your cheap ass away from Paul, and don't touch me again. Lord knows what you may have gotten and from where. Paul left you. If you can't get it through your head, he doesn't want you. Now, unless you want that nose job messed up- not that it's not already- touch me again. Otherwise, go back over with the other sluts." She said just loud enough for Lauren to hear her.

Lauren's name being called saved them from anymore drama. The girl turned to look and saw her friend Jessica waving her over. "Tyler's looking for you!" She shouted.

Lauren turned to Izzy who was still perched on Paul's lap, staring at her with a smirk.

"We're not done yet skank." She warned.

"We never started, bitch." Izzy mused.

Lauren turned on her heel a little too quickly and collided with a tipsy brunette. She screeched when the contents of whatever the brunette had been drinking splashed down the front of her person. Izzy let loose a peal of laughter that was quickly caught onto by everyone around her.

It was just the motivation Lauren needed to cross the floor and let her hand fly. Izzy's head whipped to the side with the force of the slap before all activity seemed to stop. Sam placed a hand on Paul's shoulder while Jared grabbed his arm. Embry was caging Angela to him while they all watched to see what would happen.

Izzy merely chucked. "Is THAT all you can do?" She asked with an arched eyebrow.

"I told you, Paul's mine, bitch." Lauren huffed. "Now take your trashy ass out of here."

"Since WHEN do you get to order people around? Last time I looked garbage belonged outside!" Izzy growled. "By the way…"

Before Lauren could say anything, Izzy's fist had connected to her jaw in a solid right hook that sent the girl sprawling to the ground in shock. Sam jumped in after that to send Lauren home telling Jessica that if she wanted to come back she needed to do so without Lauren. She was no longer welcome in his home- not that he'd invited her in the first place. He turned back to Izzy and told her to get some ice for her hand, trying to hide the smirk on his face. The girl had balls, he'd admit.

Paul chucked and followed her, grabbing a towel from a kitchen drawer before filling it with ice. "So… are we going to be the next MMA champion?" He teased.

"Oh hush. It was self defense. She struck first." Izzy shrugged.

Paul grinned. "Bet Bella loves that response huh." He mused.

"She'll survive. Ow.." She whined when he started prodding at her hand.

He chucked. "Sorry. It'll probably bruise."

"It was worth it." She grinned.

He couldn't help but kiss her then, grabbing her by the waist and lifting her to the kitchen counter. She just didn't know what she did to him, or if she did, she was an evil temptress. He pressed his hips to hers, relishing in the small groan that escaped from her throat. His hands wound into her hair, carding his fingers through the silken tresses. He was so completely turned on by the bad ass persona she was portraying right now.

A throat clearing pierced the sexually charged bubble they had created around themselves, bringing them back down to the ground. Sam and Jared only smirked.

"How's your hand, Izzy?" Jared wondered.

She shrugged. "A little bruised. I think it'll be ok." She teased.

"That was funny as shit, you know that right?" Embry said from behind them.

Paul groaned. "Cock blockers…" he muttered.

"You know you love us." Sam teased. "You mind if we borrow him for a few minutes, Izzy?"

Izzy shook her head and grinned. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom. I'll be back in a few." She told Paul, giving him a small kiss. It wasn't too long before Angela was following her.

Paul shook his head and mused that where one went, there were always two or three others to follow. Women just seemed to need to travel in packs.. Groups.. Clans.. Mobs.. He couldn't think of a word to describe it. It was scary as hell but oh so very funny at the same time. He merely sighed and leaned against the counter while his friends smirked.

"Think Lauren will listen?" Sam mused.

"Nope." Embry grinned. "Girl's not the brightest crayon in the box." He shrugged.

Paul only groaned. "I hope for once she does. I don't wanna deal with her damn annoying ass, and I'd rather see Izzy in my lap than fighting… hot as it is."

"So… you talk to Bella yet?" Jared grinned while Sam and Embry chuckled.

Paul rolled his eyes. "Soon, you fuckers."

"Ten bucks says your ass wusses out, man." Sam teased.

Paul rolled his eyes. "Fuck you, Uley." He grinned.

"Hey, I got twenty that says he'll be alright." Jared offered.

Paul shook his head. "And you call yourselves my friends.

"So if I lay forty down to say you'll be fine I won't be a good friend?" Embry smirked.

His eyes rolled again and all Paul could do was laugh. They merely grinned. Embry had been filled in on Paul's feelings before the party and only wished him good luck before going back to mix more drinks for everyone. Sam left to find his girl, telling Paul to talk to the girl soon.

Jared only sighed. "He's right you know… all bets aside."

"Yeah… maybe tomorrow. Tonight… I wanna have fun with Izzy." He smirked before heading back out into the living room.

By the time Jared made it back into the living room, Paul and Izzy were wound around one another again as they danced in a corner. Paul's hands were on her waist pulling her back into him as she leaned her head on his shoulder. The look on her face was one of glee as he whispered in her ear while one of her hands bent backwards to keep his head where it was.

He sighed and prayed that things worked out for them because he had to admit, even if it was only to himself, that they were really sort of perfect for one another.

At least Izzy was. He'd yet to pass judgment on Bella. But he mused that she was kind of perfect for Paul too. In her own way at least.


	21. Chapter 21

And then I crashed into you,  
And I went up in flames.  
Could've been the death of me,  
But then you breathed your breath in me.

And I crashed into you,  
Like a runaway train.  
You will consume me,  
But I can't walk away.

Daughtry - "Crashed"

(X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X)

Bella woke up the next morning with a groan. Izzy had stayed out so late with Paul that she was silent in their shared head space. Bella texted Angela that she was not coming to church and to make something up when her parents started asking where she was. A very Izzy-like move that just proved to her how much the other was rubbing off on her.

She gathered a set of her new clothes and went to shower. She giggled when she looked down and instead of little flowers, there were little skeleton people. Izzy had tried to tell her it was from some nightmare movie involving Christmas but she couldn't connect them. She'd have to watch the movie.. She'd even gotten new shampoo and conditioner, a new scent for a new start. It smelled like rain and petrichor and she loved it.

She stared at herself in the mirror for awhile. Memories of her "mirror" with Izzy came to mind and she smiled softly. Izzy could be a pain and infuriate her like no other, but it was almost like having a twin sister... Or like she was the girl in THE HOST by Stephanie Meyer. But Izzy wasn't a perfect alien and Bella wasn't a rebel bent on non-conformity. Such a change from the weak female she used to be.. She even dressed in a way that made her feel alive. She was wearing jeans! They were some brand called "Apple Bottom" that Izzy had insisted upon but she loved them. She was also wearing something called a racer-back tank top.. It was black and had a beautiful winged cross design on the front.

She gently ran her fingers over the pink streak in her hair. Her excuse to her parents would be that she 'went pink' in honor of Breast Cancer for the month of October, but really it was a colorful reminder that she was going to be her own person.

Walking out of the bathroom, she let out a small squeak when she saw Paul laid out on her couch. Izzy had left her no warning! She'd tuned out of whatever they'd been doing after around 1am... She took a moment to make some observations about the man Izzy had brought into her world.. He did not fit on her couch and she honestly couldn't see how he was comfortable. Their new furniture would be delivered around lunch, and she knew the old thing was scratchy. But he was laid out as if he was sleeping on a feather bed! His face was relaxed and there was no trace of the player persona she had come to associate with him. He didn't snore, it was just a rough sort of breathing. He had one hand behind his head with the couch pillow and another resting gently on his stomach. She could see the attraction Izzy had to him physically..

She made her way into the kitchen as quietly as she could and hit the start button on the coffee pot, sighing happily as the warm aroma of the magical liquid started to fill the space. Izzy had gotten this coffee from the place Jared's parents owned; the coffee shop from her "dream." Waiting for the coffee to percolate, she pulled out a few items to start breakfast, including bacon. All her life she'd been told that bacon was a monstrosity that would cause her to lose her girlish figure, but Izzy had been eating it like it was going out of style! It was Bella's new favorite food.. She even made enough for Paul, but bacon was first come, first served.

She heard a groan and stifled a giggle. Seems that couch got it's own revenge for Paul's sleeping.

There was some shuffling and then Paul filled the space in her small doorway. "Your couch hates me. Do I smell bacon?"

Bella giggled, "That couch hates everyone. I do believe Izzy is planning on making a bonfire out of it after the new furniture arrives today. Coffee?"

"Good morning then, Bella."

Bella nodded, handing him a cup of coffee. "Good morning, Paul. I would ask if you slept well but I know better."

"Don't avoid the question about the bacon."

"You caught me. Yes, there is bacon. It is my new love and I was hoping you would be misled."

"I'm a man, sweetheart." He drawled, sipping his coffee. "We know very little, but bacon is always a priority."

Bella dished up their breakfast and motioned Paul to sit at the island bar before sliding him a plate. They ate in companionable silence, each in their own thoughts. Bella finished first and started washing the few dishes she had.

"You're almost the exact opposite of Iz, ya know." He stated, watching her intently.

"How so?" She asked, placing a rinsed plate in the drying rack, ignoring the dish-washer completely.

"For one, Izzy is never up early enough for breakfast. Izzy prefers her coffee with six sugars and a lot of creamer. As much as she cares, she would never save me any bacon. AND! I don't think I've ever known her to clean up anything in her life."

_'I resent that,' _Izzy sleepily groaned in their head, causing Bella to giggle again.

"She says she resents that."

"More like resembles it." Paul quipped, finishing off his coffee.

"Being the 'other me' she wouldn't really have the chance to be up for breakfast, since I would naturally have had to get up for school or church. I was never allowed to have such items in my coffee since I wasn't even supposed to have coffee, so naturally that would be what she loves. And I love to clean. As for the bacon, you're just lucky you woke up. Izzy and I are probably opposite because she's everything I used to want to be.. I used to have what I thought were dreams about her. About her doing what I wanted to do. But..."

"But?"

"But after the walls fall apart and there she was, we both realized that it was like looking through a window into each others lives."

Paul smirked, "So you dreamed about me then, sweetheart?"

Bella laughed, "I dreamed about a rough, motorcycle having man who was very attractive and seemed to like me. Isn't that what most women dream of?"

"So you admit I'm attractive?"

Bella rolled her eyes, "I never said I didn't find you attractive. I said I thought you were a player. And I was put in my place."

Paul watched a blush cross her face, knowing what she was remembering. Yeah, she was nothing like Izzy but it sure was beautiful to see a blush on that face. He shook the thoughts from his head.

"Did you want me to help with the furniture stuff?"

Bella seemed to snap back to herself, "Oh! Uhm.. Sure. If you feel like it. I can push it all around if I have to.."

She almost melted at Paul's smile, "Nah. Just let me ride home to shower and change and stuff and I'll be back. Need me to bring anything?"

She shook her head, "Everything is covered. Thanks Paul."

"Anytime, Sweetheart."

(X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X)

Walking in to the place he shared with Jared, he rolled his eyes at the scene he was greeted with. Zoned into the Xbox playing Destiny, his room mate had not even noticed his arrival. He wondered if the fucker had even noticed he didn't come home..

Jared had pulled the couch up closer to the TV and was still leaning forward in almost anticipation. If Paul hadn't thought the game was kinda cool too, he would have called Jared a nerd.

He walked behind the couch and into his room. Looking longingly at his bed, he thought of how amazing it would feel to just lay down for a bit longer. He shook the thought out of his head. Bella was expecting him back and he needed the brownie points; he had promised Izzy after all...

He grabbed some random clothes that he knew would look fine no matter what they were and stepped into his shower. He made a mental note that he was running out of Old Spice Wolfthorn body wash.. Something about the scent was feral and manly. It also drove Izzy wild, which was a plus.

It didn't take him long and then he was ready to go.. Except for one thing. He glanced around the corner and saw Jared was walking around the Tower in the game, so he would probably surface if...

"HEY DICKWAD! I need the keys to the truck!"

Jared was immediately interested. He put down the controller and looked over at his friend. "The truck? You're taking the truck instead of your bike? Are you turning redneck on me?"

Paul threw his wet towel at him, slapping Jared in the face with it. "No. I'm going back over to Izzy's. Their furniture is getting delivered today. I'm going to help Bella moving it around and stuff and then she mentioned Izzy planning to burn their damned uncomfortable evil couch."

Jared raised an eyebrow, "How would you know that it's uncomfortable?"

"You really didn't notice I was gone all night?"

"Dude, I didn't realize it was morning. Angie should be out of church soon..." As if on cue, Jared's phone started buzzing.

"You're turning domestic!" Jared yelled on his way to his room, answering the phone after his door slammed closed. Paul noticed the keys on the table and picked them up before yelling out a bye.

(X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X)

"You and Paul seemed friendly this morning." Izzy chirped, her smirk apparent inside their shared headspace.

Bella huffed and pulled at the ancient entertainment center again, "And you seemed very worn out. Are we going to keep stating the obvious?"

"I'm just glad you're getting along. I really like him, Bells. Really really!"

Bella laughed, "I know you do. I wish you were a twin instead of a weird head-version of me. I could use the help."

"I thought Paul was coming to help?"

"He said he is. But I can-"

"Bells! That's what men are for! Besides, it'll be fun to stare at his butt."

"You stare, I'm moving stuff. Stuff YOU picked out. Why aren't you the one doing this?"

"Because YOU are the brains and I use Paul as my brawns."

"Knock-knock"- Bella swiftly turned and ended up flat on her butt.

Paul was leaning in the entrance of their open front door with a smirk on his face. "Falling for me? Izzy might not like that."

Bella huffed and stood, "We were just talking about you. Kinda."

Paul laughed, "I heard. You really should have your door closed if you're going to talk to each other. People are going to think you're crazy."

"Or I could just wear a blue-tooth all the time?"

"That only works if you don't answer yourself."

Bella's face began to heat up as Izzy started enjoying the view of Paul. Her inner musings were quite... expressive. _'Oh come on, Bells! He looks like a hot construction worker in those jeans and his tight white tee and his boots! All he needs is a hard hat.. This is him, without trying to look nice.'_ Bella shook her head, _'He's all yours, Iz.' _

There was a very awkward silence that Bella would ask about later. Before she could say anything, Embry's head filled the door. She heard Sam yelling at him to move away and sounds of shoving. Paul scratched the back of his head like a child caught in the cookie jar, "I asked Embry and Sam to come along and help.. Jared was doing something with-"

"Nope! Here!" Angela's voice rang out. She pushed past the men and entered the apartment, dragging Jared along with her. "Hey!"

Bella laughed, hugging the girl. "You dragged Jared here?"

Angela shrugged, "You're much more fun now that you're not listening to mommy and daddy. I mean, I liked you before as my good girl friend and now that Izzy's out you are the total best friend package."

"And you brought your boyfriend to move my furniture because...?"

"Don't say boyfriend. I prefer paramour. And because I am DYING to hang out with the new Bella.. I know Izzy isn't out to play yet."

_ 'In Angela language, she wants to pump you for information.' _

_'And you know that how?' _

_'Because I know Angie, and you knew Angela...'  
_  
Bella shrugged. The delivery truck pulled up and she signed the first slip authorizing delivery and went into the kitchen to have coffee and talk with Angela while it was unloaded. She then inspected the furniture for any damage before signing again and instructing the guys on where everything was to go. Paul had Sam and Embry taking the old stuff and putting it on the truck or attached trailer while he and Jared moved everything around.

"So, Bella. What do you think of Paul?"

Bella almost growled at Izzy's 'told ya so' but took a sip of her coffee and smirked, "He's decent enough. He did thank me for sharing my bacon this morning."

Angela started coughing and then cleared her throat, "Please tell me you're not using one of Izzy's phrases and you literally meant bacon."

"Of course I did!"

"Sorry! I'm just not used to you talking normally.."

"ANYWAY! I'm going to make an effort to get to know him. Izzy likes him and I think I'm starting to see he's not such a bad guy..."

Angela smiled softly but was interrupted by a rather large yell.

Bella entered the living room to find Edward Cullen in her doorway, facing off against the four other men. The loud yell had come from Embry, who had apparently been trying to hold Edward off from coming in the home.

"Edward? What on Earth are you doing?!"

"Isabella, please tell this ruffian to remove himself from my person and to allow me entry. I came to check on you since your absence in church was apparently from illness but now I see otherwise."

"Edward, you were not invited to my home. I believe you were basically told to leave me alone. And my name is not Isabella."

"I tend to disagree. It is your legal name as per your birth certificate and ID. Shortening it shows a lower standard of class."

Bella rolled her eyes, "So does engaging in sexual activities with another woman while you're supposed to be in a committed relationship."

"I still have no idea what you mean. However, you are behaving as a common whore. There are four men here! Are they all taking turns?"

Bella froze and felt a slow wash of ice go through her body. She'd been called a great many things in life, but never a whore. She looked down, refusing to let the tears coming to her eyes out. She was also refusing to let IZZY out for fear of being arrested.

"Please excuse me." She rushed into her room, Angela hot on her heels. She missed the look of pure anger pass over Paul's face.. The protective look of Jared and Sam and the look of caring Embry shot towards her.. She simply ran.


	22. Chapter 22

You need to release  
What you're feeling inside  
Let out the beast  
That you're trying to hide  
Step right up and be a part of the action  
Get your game face on  
Because it's time to play  
You're pushing and fighting your way

Violence Fetish- Disturbed

(~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~)

The now quiet room had become suffocating. An icy grip of palpable tension settled over Edward, causing him to shift in unease when Sam and Jared moved to block the front door. They stood shoulder to shoulder, blocking the closest escape Edward had. For that, he mentally cursed them. Outwardly, Edward appeared as pompous as ever, complete with an infuriating smirk on his lips.

Embry stood, braced against the power house that was the ticking time bomb known simply as Paul. He grit his teeth as Paul lunged again at the copper headed idiot while trying to see down the hallway Bella and Angela had escaped to. He missed the taunting sneer from Edward, however, he did notice the fire dancing uncontained in Paul's eyes. His friend was out for blood.

"Don't waste your time on her. She's certifiably insane and stands to lose her entire reputation- not to mention the money you're so obviously panting after- if she doesn't marry me now. After all, once I let it be known she was unsupervised with four men in her home doing heaven knows what… well.. The press would have a field day. Besides, who would want a crazy whore anyway? You're stupid if you think she'd learn to love you."

"Either he's got balls of steel-" Jared started.

"Or he's scared shitless and buying time he doesn't have." Sam interjected cracking his knuckles.

"You want to repeat that last part one more time?" Paul all but growled.

He could care less about the other insults- especially the one about him being after her money. What he couldn't tolerate- wouldn't tolerate- was Edward insisting Bella was anything less than sweet and innocent. Izzy- not so much. She was still innocent in SOME ways, but Izzy was definitely the more outgoing on the two personalities.

Edward smirked with amusement. "What part did your simple brain not understand? The fact that she's crazy? Or the fact that she's a whore? One is just as bad as the other as far as I'm concerned."

Embry grunted in an effort to hold Paul back when he lunged for a third time. "I'd shut my mouth if I were you, dumb fuck." He huffed, noting Sam was holding Jared back as well.

Edward scoffed until he realized how bad the situation had turned. Paul merely smirked when he saw the realization cross in his eyes. Sometimes he loved it when he got to use the way he looked to intimidate rich white boys who thought money could buy them whatever they wanted. He was willing to bet Edward had been taught to fight, but COULD he fight- well… hitting a punching bag was completely different than hitting a living, breathing person.

"You owe Bella one hell of an apology. Not only for calling her crazy, but a whore too. The woman down the hall is ten times more of a human being than you will EVER know." Paul growled.

"Like I would apologize for telling the truth. What are you going to do, hit me? My father would have you thrown in jail faster than you could spell bond." He sneered.

Paul snorted. "As if you'd be breathing when I'm done with you, fucker."

"Paul, come on. He's trying to goad you. You're still in Bella's house, do you really want to do this now?" Embry huffed.

"Fuck that, Em! Let him go. I want to see the show!" Jared crowed with a grin.

"Not helping, Jay." Embry growled. Sam only rolled his eyes.

"How sweet, your little boyfriend is worried. Though, I'm amazed you're so open about it. I thought you wanted Bella in your bed. Here I find that she's so easily replaced by a man… a boy, I should say by the looks of him. What is he, 12?" Edward goaded.

"Oh **HELL** no. have the fuck at him, Paul." Embry hissed moving away.

It was the last thing said before Paul's fist met Edward's nose. A sickening crunch was heard before Edward's screams filled the room. Embry merely smirked.

"I thought he said Paul was the gay one…" Jared mused.

"Must be covering." Sam shrugged.

Paul smirked. "Probably." He said before throwing a right hook, knocking Edward to the ground again.

Edward was quick to stand and take a swing connecting his fist to Paul's rib cage. He was sure of the placement, but quickly began to panic when Paul only arched an eyebrow.

"What the **FUCK** was that? You call **THAT** a hit? Jared's _MOTHER_ hits harder than that!" Paul snorted.

Edward took note of their distraction and grabbed a hold of his keys. Placing one between his middle and ring fingers, he threw another punch to Paul's ribs. He smirked when Paul hissed in unexpected pain. When his hand was drawn back, he noted with some satisfaction that there was blood on the end of the key.

All hell broke loose after that. Sam and Jared were quick to jump to Paul's aide, holding Edward's arms as Paul took swing after swing to his chest and stomach. Before long, Edward was a mass of bruised flesh and bones curled up in a fetal position on Bella's floor. Paul took some sick satisfaction in the whimpers and sobs escaping the man's lips.

(~_~_~_~_~)

Embry neglected to say anything and made his way down the hall to check on Bella. The sounds of flesh connecting to flesh were drowned out- thankfully- by the door after it was closed. Given any other situation, he probably would have been thrilled to be in a bedroom with two older women, but this, this was entirely different.

"How is she?" He asked Angela.

Angela smiled. "He really upset her, and everything he said afterwards hit a little close to home too."

"Izzy?"

Bella shook her head. "I don't want to spend my weekend in a jail cell. Oh no.. if anything happens, Paul with go to jail!"

"Bella, hey, it's ok. They won't be able to prove anything. Paul will be careful."

Angela shushed them. "Hey, listen, it's quiet."

A knock on the door prompted Angela to open it marginally and peer through the crack. She sighed when she saw Jared and allowed him to come in a few short seconds later. They kissed briefly before Jared let out a deep sigh.

"How are you Bella?" Jared finally asked.

Bella smiled weakly and only nodded. She didn't know Jared like Izzy did. And even Izzy didn't know him THAT well. "I've survived worse, I suppose."

Jared nodded. "Embry, Sam needs your help. Angela, Paul asked if he could talk to Bella alone. He wants to make sure she's alright."

Angela bit her lip. When Bella only nodded at her unasked question, she sighed. She made her way back to Bella and hugged her tightly. "Stay strong. You call me if you need me. You OR Izzy." She whispered before following Jared, Sam and Embry out the front door.

It was a few minutes later when Bella emerged from the safety of her room. She found Paul wiping up something red on the floor and quickly deducted that it was Edward's blood. She shuddered and turned her head.

"I'm sorry I lost my temper, Bella." Paul said quietly. He cooed as if speaking to a wounded, frightened animal.

In some ways, Bella felt like one.

'_Talk to him! He needs to know you're not scared of him! Wait, you're **NOT** scared of him… right?'_ Leave it to Izzy to throw reality in her face.

She made her way back down the hall to the bathroom and grabbed a box of bandages. She smiled at Paul when she walked back into the living room and sat on the couch. "Come sit with me, Paul. Let me see your hands."

Paul let out a chuckle. "I'll be fine Bella. I'm more concerned about you. He said some pretty awful things. Things that aren't true at all." He added. He sat beside her none the less though trying to hid his grin.

"I'll be fine, Paul. It hurt, but Embry said you defended me. That means a lot to me. So, thank you." She said, her eyes not leaving the scratches on his knuckles.

She gasped when she saw the blood stain on his shirt over his ribs. "What happened?"

He shrugged. "He tried to fight dirty. It's alright. It's not too deep."

"Well, take your shirt off and let me make sure." She demanded, not realizing what she had just ordered him to do. Even Izzy was quiet, though she was failing miserably at hiding her amusement.

"Trying to get me naked already? Doesn't that go against your rules?" He teased.

Bella's cheeks were instantly stained red with a blush while Izzy howled in laughter. "I- I… just…I.. well… just let me see your wound!" She finally huffed.

"Relax, Bella. I was teasing. I promise." He said before making a show of lifting his shirt from his torso slowly. Izzy groaned as each of his muscles was revealed. Even Bella had to fight down the urge to drink in the gorgeous sight in front of her.

"It's ok to look, you know." He mused.

Bella rolled her eyes. "I know that." She huffed, taking some satisfaction in the hiss that escaped his lips as she cleaned his wound.

"Hey, Bella… come here." He said, finally taking her hands in his when he noticed the lone tear. "What's the matter?" He gently brushed away the tear and pulled her gently closer to him so that she was almost sitting in his lap.

"You're the first person in a long time to stand up for me that way.. If he tells his father, you're looking at a possible jail sentence. I don't want that to happen." She told him.

Paul shook his head. "Hey, don't worry. He won't. And if he does tell his father, well… he'd have to admit that he attacked me. I have the wounds to prove it." He said. "I can claim self defense and tell them that he walked out of your house after I threw the first punch. Sam, Jared and I already talked about it. They were going to fill Embry and Angela in too on the way to Sam's shop."

Bella sighed and leaned in closer to him, using his shoulder as a place to rest her head. "I just.. Izzy seems to really like you, and… you defended me so easily.. I really want to trust you, Paul. I'm beginning to see just why Izzy is so drawn to you." She said with a shy smile.

Paul smiled and shook his head. His fingers threaded through her hair before his hand came to rest on the back of her neck. He searched her eyes before tilting his head slowly towards hers, giving her plenty of time to back out if she really wanted to. When she made no move to turn him away, he pressed his luck and laid a gentle kiss to her lips. It was over before it started, but in that moment, Bella began to fall for him in much the same way Izzy was.

The only thing she could think of was how pissed off her mother was going to be when she realized that her perfect daughter wasn't so perfect after all.


	23. Chapter 23

You stop the room when we walk in  
Spotlight's on everybody's staring  
Tell all of these boys they're wasting their time  
Stop standing in line, 'cause you're all mine

"You & I" - John Legend

(~)(~)(~)(~)

Bella's heart stopped.

This was her first kiss. Her first REAL kiss. And PAUL was giving it to her..!

PAUL BELONGED TO IZZY!

Bella felt a pulling sensation in her head and then she was watching as Izzy smacked Paul across the face.

"WHAT THE HELL, PAUL?"

Paul felt his insides grind to a halt. He had just kissed Bella. Not his Izzy, but Bella. But weren't they essentially the same person?

"I... Uhm.. Izzy?"

Izzy glared as she watched Paul run his hand over the back of his head, smart not to rub the cheek she has slapped lest she slap the other.

"You're damn right IZZY! You said you wanted to be FRIENDS with Bella."

Paul sighed, "I know."

"Then why did you kiss her? And don't you dare say you thought it was me because I know you know better than that. NO LIES."

"You feel the same..."

Izzy froze. Her voice filled with venom, "Excuse me?"

"Paul stood off the couch and began pacing, "You feel the same! You look the same. You even SMELL the same now. Before, she used to smell like strawberries and grandma perfume. But you're changing her in small ways and she's doing the same to you. Do you realize how hard it is for me to try to separate you both? You, my Izzy, my hellcat who can give it just as good as she gets it. The girl who drinks like a fish and cusses like a sailor... Then there's Bella. She makes breakfast and says she can't hold her liquor for anything. She blushes anytime she says 'crap' let alone thinking the word 'fuck'- But you two look entirely the same. You two sound, smell, walk- THE SAME. I'm sorry, Iz!"

Izzy tamped down the warm fuzzies she got when he said she was his, trying to focus on what he was saying.

She stood, looking at the floor, "I uhm.. I'll call you later. I have some stuff to do."

(~)(~) 

Izzy sat in her room.. In their room?

After Paul's speech, she was a little confused and hurt. What was going to happen to her? What was going to happen to Bella? She knew from Bella's schooling that in most cases, after reconciling the two personalities they would merge into one.. But what did that mean?

Would Bella disappear? Would Izzy disappear? Would they merge together and forget they were ever broken? At this stage, Izzy couldn't imagine Bella not being there.. It was like having a twin that only you had access to.

She stared at the wall for a long time, thinking. Bella was oddly silent, though she could feel her worry.

"Bells..?" Izzy whispered, bringing her knees up to hug them. She had never felt more vulnerable.. And had never wished more for comfort.

"I'm sorry, Izzy." Bella told her, though she had not initiated the kiss.. She had participated.. And she had actually liked it.

"I can't be mad, Bells.. But.. Where do we go from here?"

"What do you mean?"

Izzy sighed, "Am I going to disappear? Are you going to disappear? Are we going to forget each other?" Izzy felt tears building in her eyes and tried to force them away.. She failed as one spilled down her cheek, "I don't want you to go!"

Bella wished she could hug the other girl, her other half. "I honestly don't know how it works, Iz. But we'll get through it. If.. If one of us has to go.. I want it to be me."

Izzy clenched her fist, "NO!"

"Izzy! You have so much more to give than me. You have a LIFE. Before you, you know how I lived.. It was the life of your nightmares!"

"But you're getting better."

"Because of you..."

Silence reigned in the bedroom of their apartment.. Between Izzy, Bella and Paul.. Who sat waiting for his girl.

(~_~_~_~_~)

Edward growled as Tanya tended to his wounds. How dare that bitch sick her classless mutts on him?! He'd said nothing that wasn't true. She was acting like a whore.

Visions of her tied to his bed with that glare from the hospital assaulted his mind.. He wanted to teach her a lesson she'd never forget. And it WAS his job to tame her and make her his...

He had Tanya on her knees before him quickly, but it wasn't her he saw.. And perhaps he was a little more forceful with the female. But when he turned to bend her over and plunged into her heat, he didn't care.. And he knew she didn't either.

After being patched up and satisfying his lust, he went to visit Alice. As soon as she saw him at the door, she gasped.

"Edward! What happened to you?!"

He pushed past her, going to the wet bar she kept in her living room and pouring himself a scotch.

"I went to see Bella as planned. I saw a furniture truck there, seems she went shopping without you."

"That bitch! I picked all the furniture in that apartment!"

"Well, it's gone now. It was loaded onto a pick-up.. Belonging to one of her low-class trash friends. She had a bunch of guys there.. I told her to stop acting like a whore and they jumped me."

"You have to call the police! Press charges!"

Edward growled, "I can't.. In the heat of the moment, I stabbed one with my keys."

Alice gasped.. Again. "YOU STABBED SOMEONE?!"

"Oh, it was non-lethal. Get over it. The point is, she has fucking guards or something now. I thought I caught a glimpse of another female there, but Bella ran off so quickly I can't be entirely sure. Perhaps now she could be your plaything for awhile after we marry."

Alice rolled her eyes, "As if. Not my type. And what makes you so sure you'll marry? You can see you're losing your hold on her."

Edward's eyes turned to hard steel, "She will be mine. All I have to do is catch her alone... And break her."

(~_~_~_~_~)

Charlie Swan was packing his things.. He had never thought his life would be like this. How had he been so blind to Renee's evil? He had confronted her, and once she knew he knew everything, she turned into a whole new person. She was having an affair, and had been for awhile. The guy's name was Phil and apparently he was a sports man. They'd fought, parted company, come together to fight more.. It went on for three days before he'd had enough. He contracted a lawyer out of county to file for divorce, hoping to keep it out of the papers for awhile.

His mother was over the moon. She'd never liked Renee.. It seems he needed to talk to her, too.

Renee began shrieking at him again about ruining her as he carried one of his last boxes out of the house, not his home, and put it in his moving van. He ignored her.

The divorce papers stated she would get the house, but he would retain all parental rights to Bella (though she was of age) as well as his pension, 401K, etc. Renee was only left with her car, the house and her meager account that her earnings as mayor went into... Charlie was the real bread-winner and Renee knew it. She would no longer get her lavish lifestyle. She couldn't get him for alimony, as she has been the one to have the indiscretion. In fact, Charlie could get alimony! He didn't want it.. He simply wanted her gone.

He took one last look at the house.. Renee used to be so down to Earth. So amazing.. But somewhere along the way he'd been led astray by her. He had missed out on truly raising his daughter.

He put his last box in the van, got in his truck and drove away. He was moving into the home beside his mother. It belonged to his great-grandmother, God rest her soul. It was a family home.. The original home that Bella had been raised in. He wondered if their handprints were still in the garage from where they had 'painted' together...

He checked when he pulled in after directing the moving crew to go ahead and unload...

They were there.. Just faded. The irony.


	24. Chapter 24

Please don't cry one tear for me  
I'm not afraid  
Of what I have to say  
This is my one and only voice  
So listen close,  
It's only for today

**Shinedown- **Second Chance

**(~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~)**

_ "Well folks, we have a story for you tonight! We've gotten reports flying in from an anonymous source with PROOF that our mayor, Renee Swan was in a secret relationship with none other than our very own Seattle Mariners short stop, Phil Dwyer! That's right, you heard me correctly.. A hidden relationship right under her husbands nose!"_

Charlie sighed and shook his head as he watched the 6:00 news. He had a feeling his mother was the source. He knew how vindictive she could be if a family member had been hurt. He'd take the backlash- if any at all- from it when it came. He knew Renee was bound to have SOMETHING up her sleeve.

_ "Now, her husband is the chief of Seattle police and is up for appointment to become Washington police commissioner. Word has it that within the next month now, he'll be in charge of the entire police force and from what we've seen he'll do an amazing job."_

Charlie snorted. "Yeah, right." He muttered.

_ "Hopefully. Nothing throws a man off like a divorce!"_

He rolled his eyes at that. "Gee, thanks!" He huffed.

_ "To say nothing of the fact, a cheating wife! What are the public's views? There's shock and uproar! We've learned now that sheriff Swan has moved out of his shared home with his soon to be ex wife and is now living in a family home once owned by his great grandparents- just a house down from his mother."_

"Mom!" He sighed. Now there was no doubt. He knew who it was. Renee would too.

_ "Ouch! You know it's bad when the parents get involved."_

Charlie frowned. "Not cool!"

_ "Now, through all of this, their daughter Isabella Swan has been quiet and polite. She remains dignified in the eyes of the press even though we've had several people calling into the station to swear that she does nothing but drink and party at night. Tell us folks, does this look like the face of a party girl?"_ The reporter asked holding up a picture of Bella dressed in her Sunday finest on her way to church. She was standing beside her long time friend Angela, and no where near the Cullens (Edward or Alice at any rate).

Charlie sighed and turned the TV off. It had been three weeks since he'd moved out of the house he and Renee had occupied. He tried to say it was shared, but it didn't feel like it ever was at this point. He was happier now than he had been in years, and he was building up a new and re-forged relationship with his daughter- and his mother.

He'd taken a week off from work for some personal time and so far all he'd seen anytime he opened the front door were reporters. A knock on his door brought him from his thoughts before they became too dark. He'd been expecting his daughter and his mother for their new weekly Friday night dinner. It'd been happening that way ever since he moved back into his family's home. Ever since he sought to reconnect with them. Ever since they welcomed him with open arms back into their lives as though he'd done nothing wrong.

He couldn't help the smile that crossed his lips when he saw Bella standing beside one of her three guests she was bringing tonight. Angela was a good girl and he was glad Bella had someone like her to help her deal with the drama that had unfolded over the past few weeks.

"Hello girls." He greeted opening the door wide to let them by.

"Hello, dad."

"Hello, Mr. Swan."

Charlie arched an eyebrow at the two men standing behind the girls. "You, I recognize, you I don't." He said gruffly to Jared.

"Dad, it's ok. This is Jared Cameron. He's a friend of Angela's. His parents own the coffee shop she stops by every morning. That's where they met." Bella explained.

Charlie nodded. "Come on in boys." He sighed. He saw the news crews gathering again and rolled his eyes.

"I love what you've done with the house, Mr. Swan." Angela commented politely. She smirked when she caught Bella rolling her eyes. It was such an 'Izzy' thing to do.

"Angela, I've told you before. You're an adult now. And I've known you for a few years now, please, call me Charlie." He huffed.

She smiled. "Alright, you win." She said raising her hands in surrender. "It's still a little weird though." She admitted causing him to smile.

Jared grinned until Charlie turned on him after they were seated. "So.. What do you do for a living?"

He squirmed before he felt Angela's hand settle on his knee. "I work with Paul in our friends auto garage." He finally said.

Bella shook her head and sighed. "Dad, it's alright. He's a decent person. Angela and Jared met at the coffee shop, like I already said. And he and Paul are best friends. Paul introduced him to me. He's harmless."

Charlie sighed and nodded his head. He watched his daughter carefully after that. She'd changed since he'd last seen her in her apartment before the divorce went public. Somehow, he knew it was because of the man sitting beside her on the couch.

"When is grandma getting here?" Bella asked when she heard Paul's stomach growl for the third time in ten minutes.

Charlie hid his smile. "Soon.. If the vultures out front don't get her first."

"As if they'd get me." A voice behind them huffed.

They all jumped causing Marie to chuckle herself before Bella moved to ease the containers of food from her hands. Paul was quick to follow her and Jared and Angela followed him. Marie stood by her son watching as the four worked together to set the table and plate the food.

"Relax, Charlie. Bella trusts them." Marie told him.

Charlie only nodded before sitting down to eat with his guests. He begrudgingly admitted that at least Paul was better than Edward. He'd tipped off the news crews and told them exactly what Renee had done in hiring the boy to pretend to love and care for his daughter. They'd not seen him since he'd moved into the new house. He was perfectly content with that. For now.

(~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~)

Paul tucked a piece of hair behind Bella's ear as they stood on her door step. He'd driven her home and was now in the process of telling her goodnight. He was trying to keep things light, but the look in her eyes was one he'd only ever seen with Izzy. It was so hard these days to differentiate the two.

"I had a good time tonight you know. I'm glad you and my dad got along so well."

Paul sighed. "He hates me." He said over dramatically.

She grinned. "He doesn't!"

"No… no he does. I'll tell you why too." He grinned.

Bella cocked her head to the side with a playful smile on her lips. Another quirk he associated with Izzy. He had to wonder briefly if she was even aware she was doing it.

"Well? Are you going to tell me or leave me guessing." THAT was definitely his Izzy.

Paul moved closer, caging her against her door. "Because, gorgeous. He knows I want you."

Izzy's eyes danced with equal amounts of lust and mirth- a combination Paul found he wanted to see more of. "Is that right?"

He ran his nose along the line of her jaw softly, just barely touching her. "That's right." He confirmed with the barest of a whisper, his lips moving lightly against the shell of her ear. He didn't miss her breath hitch, nor did he miss the shiver that raced down her spine.

"Paul…" Bella was warring with herself and trying to keep Izzy in check too. She couldn't deny the attraction, but she didn't want things to progress until she knew for certain that it was what was wanted by everyone.

She was brought back to reality when he pressed a gently kiss to her cheek. "Your pace.. Remember?" He asked before kissing her forehead as well.

A sigh left her lips. "Soon."

It was all she could promise. Things still needed to be figured out. She was too unsure. And she didn't want Paul to suffer. Neither did Izzy. It was one thing they both whole heartedly agreed on.

"Soon." He nodded. He understood somewhat. He'd be patient. He'd come this far. He'd already said he wanted her in his life. One way or another, he wanted her to be sure. Whichever personality that was… he wanted it. So he'd wait.

"I'd better get inside…" She said not making a move to leave the comfort of his arms just yet.

"It is getting late.." He agreed.

She nodded. "It is…"

"Go out with me tomorrow night… we can go to a movie… do something fun… take your mind off of things…" He was half expecting her to say no.

"Ok."

"Ok?"

"Ok. Call me tomorrow to let me know what time?"

"I can do that." He agreed.

"Night Paul." She left a soft, sweet and oh so brief kiss to his lips before slipping inside her apartment before he could say anything else.

Paul was left to stare at the door for a whole minute before smiling and heading down to his car. Maybe it would be sooner than he thought. That had been Bella to initiate something. And Izzy hadn't even flinched.

Did that mean they had agreed on something? Or was it something else all together. He shrugged. With a sigh Paul started his car and headed home. He'd take things as they came, when they came.


	25. Chapter 25

You turn the TV on, watch it if you dare  
You see a politician and you start to pull your hair  
But it's all two dimension see there's really nothing there  
You wanna tell them what you think you think they fuckin' care

"Why'd You Bring a Shotgun to the Party?" - The Pretty Reckless

(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)

Edward cringed and turned off his television set. He knew for sure Renee would be furious that she had been left, let alone that it had made the news.

He was also sure his little visit to her home would be news to her by now as well.

He turned off his phone to try to avoid her for a bit longer and poured himself a scotch. He had just lifted the glass to his lips when the door to his study was practically kicked in and a very livid, very disheveled Renee stood practically foaming at the mouth.

"You little SHIT! You've ruined it all!"

Edward's hands started to shake and he put the glass down on the small table and turned to face Renee, "I don't know what you mean, Renee. It wasn't I that contacted-"

"This has nothing to do with the news. I know who called them about the divorce. That bitch of a mother of his." Edward could smell the Whiskey rolling off Renee's breath and fought to not cringe, "I'm talking about your little showdown at my daughter's place."

He cleared his throat and crossed the room to sit at his desk, folding his hands together. "How did you know about that?"

"Because! Not only am I fucked, but **YOU** are fucked. And so is that little bitch Alice. Jasper Whitlock was having you and Alice watched. He'd gotten a tip from his brother who got it from some no-name trash around here that you were up to something. Where you go, that little sheep of your sister goes."

Edward paled, "So Jasper..."

"Knows **EVERYTHING**. Your services are no longer required. And I'd watch your back because not only am I getting divorced but I'm being removed from my office. Phil has offered to take care of me, if I can tolerate him that long. But **YOU**! You've got nowhere to hide. Daddy is going to cut you off so fast from EVERYTHING your head will spin. You and Alice will be living together in a cardboard box! You **RUINED** it!"

She stormed out and slammed the door. Edward immediately grabbed his desk phone and called Alice. She was screaming like a banshee when she picked up. A boulder of dread was in Edward's stomach.

He turned the TV back on. It was all true.

Renee was being removed from office.. Edward and Alice were being publicly disowned. Jasper was announcing the break of his engagement to Alice. Even some sleazy talk show had gotten Emmett to do a guest spot for a tell all!

(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)

Edward slept fitfully that night. Tanya had been ignoring his calls. After the tenth one, she had deigned to text him that she was busy with someone who wasn't a disgrace.

So he was in bed, alone. Even the thoughts of destroying Bella were of no help, because he knew he wouldn't be able to get close without reporters dogging him.

He felt tingling up his leg and scratched it against his sheet, only for it to move and spread even more violently. Soon, the itchy feeling covered his entire body in shock-like spots.

"This is most annoying!" He yelled to no one, throwing his blanket off.. Only to scream like a little girl.

They were all over his bed, creeping along his floor, his skin- Spiders..

He jerked out of bed and shook his whole body, trying to dislodge the little monsters. He ran to his bathroom intending to wash them down the drain, but his tub was full of the furry arachnids. All down his halls, in every room, every bathtub, every shower, every sink. He had stripped down to his boxers in an attempt to get them off every inch of skin.

He couldn't take it anymore. He went screaming out of his house, only to run smack into officer Charles Swan and three of his deputies.

"Ch-Charles?" He stuttered.

Charlie rolled his eyes, "That's Officer Swan. What are you doing Mr. Cullen? We got reports of screaming and I came to investigate personally only to find you are about to go commit acts of public indecency?"

Charlie noted the bruises along Edward's body, "And it seems the rumor that you got into a scuffle at Bella's is also true. Edward Cullen, you are under arrest for public indecency and assault. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and WILL be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?"

Edward collapsed to his knees as Charlie cuffed him, saying yes he acknowledged his Miranda rights. He tried to turn away from all the camera flashes, tried to make himself look smaller as his neighbors all gathered to watch.

At the station, he tried to call his father and beg for forgiveness and bail. He was hung up on.

No one was coming. And Edward Cullen had never felt more alone or low in his entire life...

And he could still feel the spiders.

He felt like crying as he rested his body on the jail cell cot. He was not alone, placed with a rather large and greasy man who smelled of body odor and something akin to moldy cheese. This man kept looking at him and rubbing his bloated gut, occasionally stopping to run his finger into his blackened navel, sniff it and then repeat.

"You're very pretty, boy." He rasped out after the clock chimed 8am. Edward squeaked with fear.

"I bet that hair of yours is real soft. Boys like you use a lot of product. Bet your skin is smooth too."

Edward decided that fear would not make this man leave him alone.. Perhaps he should try intimidation?

"A lot smoother than yours, you inbred filth." He snapped, moving to stand by the cell door.

For a fat man, his cell mate moved quick. He had him pressed against the bars faster than he could blink. "Inbred, huh?"

Edward started screaming for help. One of the officers came, asking the man apparently named Otto to step back since Edward had a date with the magistrate.

He'd never been more grateful.

(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)

Due to the nature of Edward's crimes and the small town, Edward was rushed through the court system. He had hoped that Isabella and her group of ruffians would have been hauled in to speak on his case, but forensics turned up blood on his keys and the one he had stabbed had submitted to DNA evidence. With the match, Edward was sentenced to a five year sentence in County Prison.

As he was loaded into the transport vehicle, he heard a familiar laugh and snort. Otto was sitting inside, apparently on his way to County too. Edward was relieved that they were both cuffed and restrained.

The officer driving didn't have the heart to tell him Otto was his cell mate once they arrived as well, Chief's orders.

(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)

Alice Cullen had learned quite easily that while her girl toy Rose had enjoyed being dominated in the bedroom, she did not like it out of it. The blonde had offered the small female refuge since her brother was in jail, Jasper had left her and she was disowned. Alice had taken the offer faster than a starving dog would grab a steak. Things had went quite well for the first few days. But then Rose came home one day and informed Alice she was sick of her being lazy.

Alice honestly didn't know the meaning of the word..

Once it was apparent that Rose expected her to wash dishes, do laundry, take out the trash and act like a NORMAL female, the deal was off. Alice packed her designer clothes and took off stating that sex wasn't worth being a maid and that Isabella Swan was going to pay..

She just didn't know how yet.


	26. Chapter 26

If you wanna call me, call me, call me

You don't have to worry 'bout it baby.

You can wake me up in the dead of night;

Wreck my plans, baby that's alright.

This is a drop everything kind of thing.

Swing on by, I'll pour you a drink.

The door's unlocked. I'll leave on the lights.

Baby you can crash my party anytime.

Crash My Party, Luke Bryan

(~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~)

Paul groaned and blinked the sleep from his eyes. 7 AM on a Saturday morning. Whoever was trying to wake him up was in for a WORLD of misery. His phone had just gone off for the sixth time in the space of about ten minutes. It allowed him to wonder just how much force he'd need to throw the thing against the wall to its death and watch it shatter. He was just about to fall back to sleep when the thing rang again causing his eyes to narrow into slits of frustration.

It melted away when he saw Bella's face on the screen and hurried to answer it. "Hello?"

"Paul? Did I wake you up? I'm sorry… I didn't think to look at the time…"

"No… no I was getting up anyways." He lied easily.

"Oh… well, I'm glad for that."

"Bella? Are you ok? You sound like you've been crying! What's wrong?" Paul asked sitting up in bed.

"Have you seen the news at all since last night? They're running the story now…" She asked, completely evading his questions.

Ignoring Jared's protests, Paul flipped the TV over to the local news station and sighed when he heard the story was going to be coming up. He kept his voice calm. He hated watching the news as much as Jared, but even his best friend seemed to sense it was something important. "Can you tell me what's going on, Bella?"

"They're attacking Grandma Marie… saying the most horrible things!" She sniffed.

Paul closed his eyes and sighed. "Do you know who started it?" He asked flipping through a couple channels seeing if the story was on another station.

"Oh, I know." Bella huffed. "Renee said she'd get her back… even SHE went too far."

Paul got quiet as he caught the tail end of the story on one of the channels. Marie's face was plastered across the screen as the reporters continued to talk. If they were to be believed, according to an anonymous source, Marie had been supplying Renee with the antidepressants and antipsychotic medications that had kept Bella's dual personality disorder tamed.

Jared was speechless. He looked at Paul who looked about ready to hunt Renee down and string her up by her fingers and toes..

"Bella…" Paul sighed. "You know that's not true. She wouldn't do that. Everyone who knows her knows that."

"I do know that. She's always been on my side." She agreed easily.

Jared arched an eyebrow. Paul had long since put the phone on speaker. He'd gotten tired of Jared poking his side giving him 'what the hell' looks.

"You sure you're ok? You want me to come over?"

'He's been there too, you know.' Izzy chimed in.

Bella smiled. "You don't have to do that. I don't want to impose on your time."

Jared rolled his eyes. Ever the polite one. Sometimes he wished all they had to put up with was Izzy. Hellcat was better than prim and proper lady… it always made them feel like they had to hide who they really were from her. He wondered if that's how she had felt before finding out that she was two parts of the same person.

"I'll be there in 20 minutes." Paul told her jarring Jared from his thoughts. He didn't give Bella much time to protest either before he'd said goodbye and rushed to get dressed.

"you're **SO** whipped." Jared teased before going back to his movie now that news had been turned off.

Bella sighed but couldn't help the smile that passed over her lips either. She passed by the mirror in the hallway and stopped to stare at herself. Her face was tearstained, her cheeks were red and blotchy, but even Izzy could see the happiness in her eyes at the thought of Paul coming to comfort her. She didn't say anything, but she could feel the confliction within her other self. Bella didn't know what to think of Paul… he was a friend. He was Izzy's… wasn't he? But Izzy was her too… so where did that leave Paul?

Her phone chirped to life, jarring her from her thoughts. Embry had sent her a text message simply stating to 'chin up.' Of all of Paul's friends, Embry was the easiest to get along with. He was quiet like she was and shared many things in common with her. She smiled and moved to the bathroom to clean her face. If only he were a few years older. She mused.

Izzy snorted. Embry was good looking. There was no doubt there. But he was young too. He may have an older brother who threw some amazing house parties.. He may work in one of the most popular clubs in the area.. But he was too quiet. There was no sense of danger and excitement like there was with Paul. No.. Embry was nice… but Paul won hands down.

The doorbell ringing brought her back to present time. She hurried down the hall and looked through the peephole on the front door. She grinned and stepped to the side to allow him entry once the door was opened.

"You ok?" He asked wrapping her up into a tight hug after she closed the door behind him.

She laughed. "I'll be alright." She promised. "You didn't have to come and see me."

"Hush. I told you I'd be here. Now… you wanna watch re runs of Chicago Fire or do I have to hand over more of my man card first?" He teased.

It had the desired effect. Bella let loose an involuntary giggle. "No… come on." She said leading him into the living room by the hand.

Even Izzy was amused.. More with her than with him. She'd long ago come to terms that physically they were the same person and it was silly to say over personality had sole ownership over Paul's feelings. Even he'd said it… they'd started to act the same and it was more and more confusing for all those involved. She'd have to find a way for her other half to admit that she did indeed care for Paul as much as Izzy herself did.

"Hey Paul?"

Bella huffed but didn't fight too hard to stay in control. Izzy wouldn't cross the line too much.

"Hm?" His eyes were drawn to hers and he frowned in confusion.

Izzy pulled the remote from his hands and climbed into his lap causing his eyebrow to arch. He was wondering how long it would take Bella to intervene. Ever the lady, things never got too out of hand between them- much to his frustrated libido.

"You wanna go out tonight?" She asked while trailing her finger tips over his muscled, tattooed arms.

"You think it's a good idea?" He asked, hating that he was turning down time with the more outgoing of his pseudo- girlfriends' personalities. He didn't even know if he could call her that. He didn't know if they were just friends or if they were dating.

"So lets go out with friends. I'm sure Angie would say yes. If she says yes, it wouldn't take Jared much to convince Jared." She reasoned.

He skimmed his nose over her jaw line allowing the barest of contact between his lips and the skin of her exposed neck. "And Sam and Embry?"

"Of course, Sam. And Embry works tonight." She muttered before rocking her hips into his slightly. She relished the hiss of pleasure that escaped from his lips.

"So how do you plan to get around the vultures?" He finally asked, his lips brushing lightly against hers.

Izzy swallowed when he moved his hands from her waist to her bottom to pull her closer. Her eyes widened slightly when she felt just how needy he was becoming. Her nails scraped across the skin at the back of his neck causing him to shudder a little bit.

"I think for tonight… it should be Bella to have the fun. She's definitely more reserved… and well… she's technically never experienced the night life."

Izzy's statement left both Paul and Bella shocked. "You sure?"

"Positive."

Paul grinned, leaned in and captured her lips with his again. She was most definitely the perfect woman for him. Now he just had to convince BOTH personalities of that.


	27. Chapter 27

Have you ever wished your life would change?  
Woke up and you lived your dreams  
Baby I could help you make that change  
I could show you how to do this thing

"Change Your Life" - Iggy Azalea FEAT T.I

(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)

Bella grumbled and wished, not for the first time, that Izzy was a 'real girl' so she could slap her. She had been informed by her not-so-better other half that she was going out with Paul. She wasn't sure where exactly they were going but she was told to "enjoy" and not worry about anything.. That was impossible, because Bella WAS the worrier.

Izzy helped her to get ready, giving little tips about hair and makeup and clothing as they went along. A glance at the clock showed that Paul would be arriving any moment. She walked into her bedroom to look at herself once more in the mirror as Izzy gave her tips about carrying her items, since she would not be carrying any kind of handbag.

The doorbell rang and she popped her head out to yell at Paul to come in. She took another look at herself.

She didn't look like her old self, but she didn't feel like she looked as good as Izzy did with their body. She had on a pair of dark washed jeans with a few frayed places along the legs. It was paired with a dark-purple tank top that matched her dark-purple heels that she KNEW would end up hurting her feet.. But this was her first night out without a chaperone or anything except for herself holding her back.

She stepped out of her room after taking a deep breath and looked up at Paul almost shyly to check his reaction.. She had never thought a simple black t-shirt and jeans would look undeniably sexy on a man, being so basic.. But they always were with Paul.

(~)(~)

Paul was shocked. Had he not known for a fact he was taking out Bella, he would have thought it was Izzy almost- There was just something missing from the outfit to make it perfectly Izzy. Perhaps it was the fact that Izzy showed more flesh or wore her hair different.. Bella was biting her lip and looking at him in such a vulnerable way that made him realize he hadn't said anything.

"You look great, Bella."

A soft blush rose across her cheeks, "Thank you."

"You're missing something."

Paul smirked at the confused look that graced her face. He shrugged out of his black leather jacket and handed it out to her.

Bella's heart pounded in her chest. Paul was offering her his jacket. She knew the significance of that jacket, along with the fact that Izzy had been the only one of them to ever wear it. Sure, she'd had a few short little kisses with Paul but she knew that Izzy was his ONE.. She'd never worn the jacket.

Their eyes locked and she silently asked if he was sure, Izzy screaming at her to take the jacket. He nodded and she blushed again before sliding it on. She shivered at the body heat that enveloped her, along with the scent of leather mixed with one that was only Paul.

"Now you look perfect."

She locked her house, slipping the clip-on set of keys to her belt-loop like Izzy had told her previously. She froze when she saw Paul's motorcycle, sparks of both elation and fear running through her. She'd never been on a motorcycle... Ever.

"Something wrong?"

She was pulled out of her inner musings by Paul, his eyebrow raised as she stood there shell-shocked.

"Uhm.." She fidgeted, "I'm just a little.. Scared."

A look of confusion crossed his face, "Why?"

"I've never been on one.."

Paul's heart almost melted. Bella was so vulnerable compared to Izzy. He took the few steps to be close to her and tilted her head up as she looked at her feet, "There's nothing to be afraid of. Izzy has been on my bike tons of times and it's honestly all about muscle memory.. And you can hold me as tight as you want to."

The thought of pressing herself against Paul made her tingle and Izzy snorted at Bella's innocence. She nodded once and Paul helped her on his bike before hopping in front of her. She instantly clung to him and listened as Paul told her where to place her feet.

The ride was surprisingly smooth and she enjoyed the feeling of freedom more than anything. It was better than when she had dreamed she was Izzy.

She was back to the club with the name she couldn't pronounce, which brought more teasing from Izzy since she was supposed to be the college girl. Paul led her to the usual table and everyone greeted her carefully, as if trying to see which personality she was that day.

"Bella." Paul stated simply. She noted Embry's eyes light up and she smiled. The younger boy had a soft spot for her it seemed, probably after her crying.

Sam gestured to a thin tray with different drinks and shots, "Since this is YOUR first time, we ordered a flight for you. They all have different names, different alcohols and different tastes. Pick your poison."

"And no hints from Izzy!" Embry crowed, earning support from the other males. She glanced up at Paul and he smirked down at her.

"Like he said, Princess. Pick your poison. Personally, I prefer Vodka.. Anything with Vodka."

Gingerly, Bella picked up the shot glass from the 'vodka flight' and sniffed at it. She wrinkled her nose and there was the flash of a phone as Sam captured her facial expression. She put it back down quickly and Paul laughed, sitting and pulling her into his lap.

"You don't sniff it," Angela instructed, "You shoot it really really fast, hence the term shot."

"And then what?"

"Well, if you're like us you drink the liquor straight without a chaser. Izzy drinks that way. But with you being new to this, kinda, I'd suggest either a beer chaser or a soda chaser. It helps cleanse it out."

With another weary look at the Vodka shot, she picked it back up and snatched a Budweiser from the beer tray. Quick as a lick she had the shot down and, after the first hint of after-taste, a large mouthful of beer followed.

She let out an almost gasp, "That was HORRID! Why do you do that?"

"Because the after-burn is great." Angela squealed.

Bella cocked her head in almost contemplation and then she felt the warm spreading feeling through her stomach. She looked down at it and Paul laughed, "I've never been with a first time drinker. It's kinda cool."

"You look cute with your confusion." Embry teased, earning a glare that was almost up to par with Izzy's.

"If you call me cute again, I'll use a few of the tricks Izzy taught me to make you suffer."

Embry held up his hands in surrender and Sam laughed before passing Bella another shot.

"Rum. It also comes in flavors but you don't get that luxury yet."

Bella found she liked the rum shot better than the Vodka shot.. And then after trying Whiskey, Tequila and several other she didn't really want to know the name of, she found that she preferred Whiskey over all of them. She also really REALLY did not like beer. She had long since discarded her shoes, saying they were annoying even when she was sitting.

"Feet!" she'd screamed after several shots. "This stuff tastes like FEET! Why do you drink it? It looks like piss!"

Angela covered her mouth with a snort, trying to hold in her own drunken giggle, "You just said piss!"

Bella frowned and Paul thought she'd never looked cuter, "Izzy's a bad influence. She tells me things."

She shivered when she felt Paul's warm breath against her neck, "I think you're pretty wasted, Princess. How about we see how you fare on the dance floor?"

Bella nodded, seeing as all her negative emotions were drowned in liquor for the time being and let Paul slide his coat off her before they went hand in hand to the dance floor.

"Don't let me fall!" she yelled over the music.

Paul rolled his eyes and pulled her flush to him, causing her to let out a squeak. "You won't fall.. Just feel me."

As the DJ mixed the ending of the current song with the beginning of NO MEDIOCRE by T.I, he learned the difference between Izzy and Bella on the dance floor. With Izzy, it was all about commanding his attention and driving him wild. Bella seemed to have listened to what he said about just feeling it because she moved like water.. Albeit water that made his body scream with want.

It was very hard to tell the difference in feeling between Izzy and Bella, but the lines became blurred as they continued to dance. At one point, she spun and he trapped her body back against him. Her breath came in the pants of anyone dancing in a hot-ass club but he heard the moan that came from her mouth as she ground her ass against the growing bulge in his pants.

Bella's body felt like it was on fire as she moved against Paul. His hands on her hips made her have wild thoughts about if they'd just move a little lower and inward. Her brain felt itchy and she got the mental image of Izzy dancing around like Snoopy in their headspace.

The music slowed and Paul tilted her head back and crashed their lips together. She could taste the beer on his tongue that he'd been drinking but she didn't care. She turned to face him and he broke the kiss, his eyes darting around before pulling her back to their table in the corner. No one was sitting around it, all of them out on the dance floor. He caught the eye of Sam at the bar and motioned towards the back exit before bursting out the door, taking her with him.

Bella had no time to think as Paul pressed her against the cool brick of the building outside and brought their lips back together. She ran and hand up to try to tangle in his hair on impulse. He let out a growl at the feeling of her nails and lifted her by her thighs to press against the apex of her thighs. She bucked her hips against him and he pulled his mouth away.

"I'm not going further than this tonight, Bella... I don't care how much it hurts and I don't want you to feel bad but I refuse to take advantage of you when you're drunk."

Even intoxicated, Bella felt touched by his words and nodded silently. Sam popped his head out and his eyes widened at the position they were in,

"Uh.. Paul?"

"No worries man, I'm not going any farther than I already have."

Angela stuck her head out underneath Sam's. "Bella! Come to shots with me."

Bella slid down to rest her feet back on the concrete and looked unsure of the idea, hearing Izzy tell her to know her limit.

"I got coconut rum..." Angela practically sang. It was enough to convince Bella to kiss Paul swiftly on the cheek before practically skipping back inside with her friend. Paul blinked after her, astonished at feeling like she'd blown him off... For liquor.

Sam laughed and clapped a hand on his shoulder, "First timers.."

(~)(~)

Paul arrived back to the table to hear Embry explaining the rules of a shot race to his pseudo-girlfriend.. Who was drunker than she had been perhaps five minutes ago already. She had balls, he'd give her that. Even Izzy didn't drink this much...

Bella's eyes lit up when she spotted Paul, "It's a race!" She chirped, holding a hand out for Paul to join her side. He chuckled and stood behind her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Good luck, Princess."

A look of determination crossed her face as she faced off against her friend. Embry yelled GO and she was taking shots like a Pro.. Like Izzy. As soon as one hand put a glass down, it was picking another up. They had added a small tumbler of Vodka/Cranberry as their ending chugger.

He had to admit he was quite proud when she won. Angela pouted and demanded a re-match. He saw the glazed look in Bella's eyes swirling with the triumph of victory and pulled Bella into his lap as he sat again, "It's her first time, Ang. Give her a bit."

(~)(~)

They left the club and Paul held Bella to him on the front of his bike as he drove. He was safe at the bar with her, only drinking a few beers in a leisurely pace. He parked the bike in her driveway and she hopped off, clearly energized. Angela hopped off Jared's bike behind her, the couple having followed them since Bella was Angela's cover for the night.

"WOO!" she screamed out into the silent night.

"Shh!" Angela shush-giggled, "You're gonna wake up the people."

"Ohh. Good point." Bella replied, looking at her friend in wild innocence. They stared at each other before Bella once again yelled out "OH MY GOD ANGELA!"

Angela clapped a hand over Bella's mouth, "What?!"

Bella crouched as if to tell her a secret and whisper yelled, "We should totally go play on a swing set..."

The two girls stared at each other again before they both tossed their shoes down and ran through Bella's back yard to the small playground at the abandoned daycare that was there. Jared and Paul followed at a leisurely pace, laughing to themselves and each other.

They found their women swinging in a rather odd way- standing. Thank goodness there were no houses around because they surely would have gotten arrested for public intoxication.

Bella was hanging on, swinging back and forth wildly while singing "IIIIIIIIIIII wanna Swiiiiiiiiing!" and then Angela would go "From the chandelierrrr" and they would both repeat it. That must have been the only part of the song Bella knew. After about thirty minutes, Angela stood stock straight. "I HAVE TO PEE!" And the girls took off for Bella's apartment.

Jared laughed and looked at his friend, "Dude. We gotta get them to sleep or they're going to be soooo sick."

Paul smirked, "Izzy wanted Bella to have the experience.. Besides, I think Angela's drunker than usual."

Jared rolled his eyes, "You think? Bella's clearly just as bad of an influence as Izzy."

They walked into the apartment to see both girls had found Izzy's special bottle of Southern Comfort whiskey and were passing it back and forth like soda..

"Oh ho no! Ladies! You're going to be soooo sick." Paul gingerly plucked the bottle from between the girls and hid it in the kitchen.

He lifted Bella into his arms, causing her to squeal. "You guys take that couch bed. Nite!" he yelled, carrying Bella into her room.

She giggled as Paul tossed her on her new very bouncy bed. She pulled him to lay with her where she promptly curled up against his chest.

"G'nite Paul. I had fun tonight."

He kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her. "I had fun too, but you won't like me very much in the morning.. And I think Izzy's going to be pissed you got into her liquor."

"Ya think? Nite!" came the gruff reply and he knew Izzy had surfaced. He wondered if it was because Bella was so drunk she had sunk into their shared subconscious and forced the other girl forward. He didn't care either way. Something about this female, this broken female, had called to him and now he didn't want to let her go.. But that was an issue for him to work out on his own.


	28. Chapter 28

I can feel her on my skin  
I can taste her on my tongue  
She's the sweetest taste of sin  
The more I get the more I want  
She wants to own me  
Come closer  
She says come closer

Ne-Yo, Closer

(~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~)

_ Lips traced a path down the curve of her neck, causing her to tilt her head away allowing for easier access to her smooth skin. His heavy breath ghosted over her flesh causing a quiet groan to escape from her own lips before carding her fingers through his hair. She shuddered when she felt the tips of his fingers dancing over her nearly naked skin. His teeth and tongue worked in tandem to pull a bruise easily from the sensitive flesh of her neck while the remaining article of clothing she wore- his dress shirt- was dropped from her shoulders and left to pool at her feet._

_ "I want you." He whispered huskily._

_ Her eyes fluttered closed. "I need you…" She replied._

_ His boxers were dropped to the ground before she was flung playfully onto the bed. It was mere seconds after that before he was crawling over her slowly- stalking her like a predator would their pray. His lips left kisses and his teeth nipped her skin as he trailed upwards, until their eyes locked together when he was hovering right over her._

_ "You ready for me?"_

_ She hooked a leg around his waist. "Find out." She purred._

_ They both groaned as he slid into her welcoming heat. He stilled and took the time to stare down at her, watching her eyes widen slightly when he was fully seated within her deliciously tight pussy. _

_ "Fuck you feel so good!" He growled. _

_ Her arms wound around his neck as he started to move within her. Back and forth- ever so torturously slow- the whole time watching her pupils dilate almost impossibly with need and lust. He groaned and hid his face in the crook of her neck._

_ "Please…" She whispered to the nearly quiet room._

_ He looked up at her, his hips thrusting forward again. "Please what?" He teased._

_ "Dammit… don't tease! Fuck! I need to feel you fucking me!" She growled out wrapping both of her legs around his waist._

_ He shuddered, his eyes closing briefly. He loved it when she got so worked up. "Whatever you say baby girl." He answered with a smirk. He pulled his dick out till only the head was left inside her tight pussy, waiting for her eyes to lock onto his. _

_ "Don't tease me pl-oh!" She never even got to finish her sentence before he slammed back into her._

_ He raised himself to his knees, pulling her up with him in order to kiss her full lips as he bucked his hips, thrusting into her waiting heat in hard, quick strokes that left her nearly breathless. He broke the kiss with a hiss of pleasured pain when he felt her nails digging into his back and moved to once again attack the sensitive skin of her neck. _

_ "You like this baby girl? You like feeling my dick filling that sweet little pussy up?" He whispered hotly in her ear._

_ She threw her head back, a pleasured cry her only response as she felt one of his fingers circling her clit. "Yes!" She finally cried._

_ He fell back onto the mattress, his hands on her hips to hold her steady. His smirk was mirrored by her own as she dug her nails into his chest while she moved slowly up and down his hard, near throbbing cock. She was teasing them both as she moved slow as a snail up and back down before stopping to twist and swivel her hips._

_ His eyes nearly rolled back into his skull as he bit his lip. He knew she wanted him to beg- or take control- and he wasn't quite that far gone in the maddening need for her just yet to do so. With another shudder, he felt her nails draw down his chest to his stomach. She was teasing him as much as herself now. _

_ "Tell me what you want, baby girl." He cooed at her when their eyes locked._

_ She circled his nipple with her nail, licking her dry lips with the tip of her tongue before drawing her lower lip in between her teeth. She stared at him with hooded eyes as she raised and lowered herself in that maddeningly slow pace that she knew would drive him to the brink of his control._

_ "I want my body covered with yours. I want my legs up, resting over your shoulders, I want to see your face while you lean over me. I want to feel you- filling me full of your hard dick- fucking me hard and fast… but most of all… I want you…"_

_ He rolled them over and smirked when he did just as she asked, pausing to kiss the tender skin on the inside of her thigh before drawing both of her legs up and over his shoulders. They both groaned when he slid the head of his dick back into her heat. _

_ "You have me. Always will." He promised before slamming into her._

(~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~)

Bella groaned when the fog of sleep and her more than pleasant dreams left her mind. Her body instantly reminded her that she was in a lot of trouble for her stunts the night before. Her stomach was queasy, her head was pounding and the room was spinning. And that was without her eyes open. A whimper left her lips alerting Paul to her consciousness. He shook his head and smiled, chuckling quietly.

"Morning sunshine." He whispered.

Bella could have cried. "go'way!" She hissed.

Paul sighed. "Oh I bet your loving life right about now, aren't you?" He teased quietly.

She turned her head to look at him and hissed as soon as her eyes were opened. Her pillow was promptly pulled over her head after that causing Paul to openly laugh- though it was done quietly. In a manner befitting Izzy more than herself, Bella's middle finger saluted him in reply. He smirked and pulled the pillow from her head slowly.

"Is that a promise?" He whispered huskily as he dragged her body closer to his.

"Maybe." Bella was floored. Where had that come from.

Izzy was still 'asleep' inside of their shared head space. Had she actually just successfully flirted with him? There was no way that could have come out of her mouth so quickly and easily.

There was only one explanation. She was still drunk.

That was it. Of course. That **had** to be it.

Her breathing hitched when she felt his nose skim along the gentle curve of her neck, his lips following along just after, leaving heated butterfly kisses to her skin. Her lips parted when he nibbled gently at her earlobe, a quiet gasp escaping, alerting him to her growing desire. His lips moved back to her neck where he nibbled lightly against the pulse point just under her skin. She'd always had a 'no marks' rule, but she was very quickly forgetting just why that was. His lips on her skin felt so amazing. The things he was doing to her body were even more so as she concentrated on the feel of his feather light touches dancing over her skin.

"Paul!" She gasped. Her hands clenched into fists, one holding tight to her pillow, the other nearly ripping the sheets covering her body.

He swallowed thickly, his hands itching to pull her back to him. As it stood, he could little more than rest one on her hip lightly. His eyes closed when her hand gripped his, lacing their fingers together. She was a temptress, riddled in budding desire, and he was about ready to give in. He'd had to listen to her obvious sex dreams- the way her breath had hitched, the short pants that left her lips..

"Bella…" He groaned out when she ran her hand up his back.

Was she still dreaming?

His shirt had been discarded sometime in the night- probably after she'd finally passed out if she had to guess- leaving his skin completely free and open to her touch. She secretly reveled in the way he leaned in to her, quietly asking for more of those shy and uncertain touches.

The lights burned her eyes, her head and stomach were still screaming at her, but the way Paul was making her feel now… She turned towards him, slowly blinking past the pain as she opened her eyes to stare into his. The distance between them was a vast canyon that she frowned at. The simplest way to fill said distance was to move closer- so she reasoned.

Paul very nearly hissed when he felt her body move so it was flush with his. There was no mistaking the need he had for her then. He watched her innocent chocolate eyes widen in shock as she felt his hard length, trapped within the confines of his jeans.

"Sorry." He said trying to move away.

"Don't be." She said simply.

She shocked both of them when she kissed him. She remembered flashes of the previous night, her body being pinned by his against the wall outside of the club, the way his lips felt when he kissed her breathless, the strength he had displayed as he lifted her into his arms… the tight coil of arousal when he'd nearly made her… oh!

His hips pressed to hers lightly causing her breath to hitch again. "Do you honestly have no idea what you do to me, Bella?" He wondered quietly, his eyes trained on hers as he talked.

"It's so hard sometimes. I see you and think of Izzy… but she's you too… you're the same person and it's so hard to not do half of what's in my head…" He admitted, brushing a few strands of her hair from her face.

"Paul?" Bella sighed. His eyes moved to her lips, watching as she licked them slowly, trying to take the dryness away from them.

His eyes met hers again in silent question.

"Would you believe me if I told you I agree with my other half?" She wondered.

"You do?" He mused that she must still be slightly tipsy. The Bella he had known wouldn't be this brazen. It was one more reason for him to fall for her. She was opening up and showing him who she really was. She trusted him.

"I do. I'll finally admit that I'm more than just attracted to you." She grinned.

"You were attracted to me?" He teased, a cocky smirk on his face.

She shook her head. "No… I AM attracted to you."

Paul rolled them so that she was straddling his hips, a groan escaping involuntarily when she moved to resituate herself. "Bella…"

She bit her lip and stared down at him. It was a power trip to see him submitting to her so willingly.. Izzy had thought it once, when she'd been sitting in his lap. She couldn't help but agree now.

His breath left him when her lips met his. He couldn't think of anything at the moment except how much she was driving him absolutely crazy. He wanted her in the worst way possible and couldn't help the groan that escaped past his slightly parted lips when she rocked her hips against his with slightly more pressure.

"Hey Paul Angela's up. If you can cajole Bella out of bed, I made…. Oh… uh… oh wow… morning guys…" Jared was standing with one hand on the doorknob and his head peeking around said door. He'd just been about to tell Paul breakfast was ready. He hadn't been prepared to see Bella in barely anything sitting across Paul's lap the way she was.

Paul's head hit the pillows and he groaned in frustration. For her part, Bella rested her head over his naked chest to hide her grimace of pain- Jared's voice was entirely too loud in her opinion.

"Morning Jared. We'll be out in a few minutes, ok?" Paul asked quietly. His fingers carded through Bella's hair, but his eyes were daggers as he glared at his friend.

Jared nodded and hastily closed the door. He was dead and he knew it. He shook his head and went to check on Angela who was curled up on Bella's couch with a mug of coffee in her hands and her head resting on her knees.

"Hey baby. You feeling better?" He couldn't help the small smile.

Angela huffed. "Never let me drink like that again." She said whining when he laughed a little too loudly.

Not ten minutes later, Bella and Paul were making their way out of the bedroom, both completely dressed. Angela had set her mug down on the coffee table and had moved to say something to Bella, only to have her stomach roll in protest. Paul shook his head in mild amusement when she went running for the bathroom, slamming the door closed behind her.

"I'm going to get you something to eat ok? Sit still, don't move… and curling up into a ball might help some with the queasiness." Paul whispered before kissing the crown of her head.

Once they were in the kitchen, Jared smiled slightly. He knew what Paul was going to say almost before he had a chance _to_ say it. Paul only rolled his eyes. That stupid grin had saved Jared's ass so many times from one of his punches. It sucked that he was like the brother Paul had never had sometimes. He'd feel extremely guilty for hitting him right now.

"I had no idea you two were _that_ close… when did that happen?"

Paul sighed. "This morning apparently. That's all Bella. No Izzy in sight."

"You shitting me?" Jared was amazed.

Paul rolled his eyes. "Nope. She- Bella- admitted that there might be something stronger than friendship there.. So now I just have to bide me time- granted we get no more friends to embarrass us- and wait."

Jared clapped him on the shoulder. "You've waited this long. What's a little longer?"

"Fair point. You have no idea how bad it is sometimes though. Man, I came this close to saying fuck it and taking her this morning. My will power isn't all that great and she's got knowledge in her head from Izzy's memories too…." Paul shivered. "I'm screwed."

Jared laughed. "Come on. Lets get this out to the girls and just take it as it comes. It can't be **that** bad… can it?"

Paul could only shrug. "Even if it is. I'm staying."

Jared sighed and handed over two plates filled with eggs and sausage before taking two more into his own hands. They nearly laughed when they walked into the living room and saw Bella and Angela curled up together with a blanket thrown over their heads to block out the sun. Paul shook his head and grinned. He set the plates down on the coffee table and closed the blinds before Jared pulled the blanket down.

"So… did we learn anything from last night?" Jared teased.

Angela glared at him. "I learned that Bella is hell on wheels and that I don't ever want to try and out drink her again." She griped.

Bella huffed and turned her nose up at the food- her own stomach reminding her that it was upset as well. "Just don't let me drink again… ever."

Jared and Paul snickered. "Come on… it couldn't have been that bad. You had fun right?" Paul mused.

Bella ran to the bathroom just in time to empty her stomach. Paul only shook his head at her when she came back out, still slightly unsteady on her feet. He pulled her into his lap and kissed her temple. "Feel better?" He asked holding her plate out to her.

Bella smiled and placed a sweet kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Thank you, Paul." She whispered before taking a bite of the eggs he offered her.

Jared and Angela watched as Paul pulled her closer, the two lost in their own world, as they each ate their food. When they were finished, Bella rested her head on his shoulder, content to soak in his warmth while they all relaxed in silence. She may have been a little on the crazy side, but Jared could see plain as day that Bella really did care about Paul. He relaxed and pulled Angela closer to him.

Things were definitely going to be ok.


End file.
